Long term evaluation of experimental median nerve repair by frozen
and fresh nerve autografts, allografts and allografts repopulated by autologous
Schwann cells
Affiliations: Group de Recherche: Régénération des Nerfs
Périphériques et des Muscles Squelettiques, Laboratoire de Neurobiologie,
Université René Descartes, Paris, France | Group de Recherche: Greffe et Réparation de la Moelle
Epinière et de ses Connexions Motrices, Laboratoire de Neurobiologie,
Université René Descartes, Paris, France | Plastic Surgery Departments, Hospital Regional de São
José and Hospital Unversitário (UFSC), SC, Brazil
Note: [] Corresponding author: Z.A. Accioli-de-Vaconcellos, Laboratoire
de Neurobiologie, URA-CNRS 1448, Université René Descartes, 45, Rue des
Saints-Pères, 75006 Paris, France. E-mail: vzulmar@pobox.com
Abstract: The authors used different kinds of peripheral nerve grafts to
reconstruct a terminal branch of the brachial plexus (the median nerve) gap of
adult Sprague-Dawley rats, including fresh or frozen autografts and allografts
from Norway rats. They also performed acellular allograft repopulation by
autogenous Schwann cells, to improve the environment for nerve regeneration.
Three, six, nine and twelve months after grafting, rats underwent histological
assessment (muscle, nerve and spinal cord) and simple functional assessment by
the grasping test. Initially, the functional recovery of frozen grafts was
lower than fresh graft recovery, but twelve months after surgery it was similar
for both types of graft.
