Control release of growth factors combined with small gap anastomosis promotes sciatic nerve regeneration after transaction in rats

Objective The nerve regeneration after peripheral nerve injury is slow and the degree of functional recovery is limited followed by a higher disability rate.How to accelerate the rate of nerve regeneration and improve the degree of nerve repair is a clinical challenge.This study aimed to investigate the role and the mechanism of growth factors gel combined with small gap nerve anastomosis in the regeneration of sciatic nerve injury in rats by nerve growth factor (NGF) and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) gel injecting into silicon chamber which bridged the transection of nerve.Methods A total of twenty seven SD rats were chosen randomly,with a sharp blade to cut off the right hind leg sciatic nerve.Group A with silicon tube containing NGF and bFGF gel to bridge the nerve proximal and distal ends (gap 3 mm),Group B with silicon tube containing saline to bridge the nerve proximal and distal ends (gap 3 mm),Group C with the direct suture of the nerve proximal and distal ends.Eight weeks after surgery,the sciatic nerve function index,neural electrophysiology,muscle wet weight and histological,immunohistochemical were observed.Results The sciatic nerve function index,nerve conduction velocity and muscle wet weight,the density of nerve fiber regeneration,myelinization in group A were better than those in group B and C(P ＜ 0.05).Conclusions Small gap nerve anastomosis method can provide a good regeneration microenvironment for the rat sciatic nerve regeneration,and the combined strategy of growth factor gel with small gap nerve anastomosis appears to have more positive effect on nerve repair. Key words: Sciatic nerve ;  Wounds and injuries ;  Crowth factors ;  Nerve regeneration; Rats