Abstract:

BACKGROUND: Chitosan has good biocompatibility and biodegradability with animals and human bodies, it can support Schwann cell grow on chitosan membranes and markedly inhibit fibroblast growth.
OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of modified chitosan anti-adhesion membranes on sciatic nerve regeneration in rats.
METHODS: Bilateral sciatic nerve was cut off in 60 SD rats, and the outer membrane was sutured. The suture of unilateral sciatic nerve was randomly packaged with modified chitosan anti-adhesion membrane, while the contralateral suture served as the controls. At 20, 30, 40 days post-operation, the electrophysiology and histological detections were performed, to observe the effect of modified chitosan anti-adhesion isolated membrane on sciatic nerve regeneration of rats.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Compared with the controlled suture, the modified chitosan anti-adhesion membranes aggravated the inflammatory response of nerve stumps. With the degradation of the membranes, inflammation relieved gradually, fiber hyperplasia of nerve tissue was relieved. At 30 days after sciatic nerve injury, the speed of conduction velocity of regenerated nerve was faster at the treated side, the nerve-muscle latency recorded by soleus muscle was shortened (P < 0.05). The density of nerve regenerated axons was significantly greater in the modified chitosan anti-adhesion membrane group than in the control group at every point after 30 days of injury. Although modified chitosan anti-adhesion membrane aggravate the inflammatory response of peripheral nerve injury in early stage, with the degradation of the membranes, inflammation relieves gradually. It could relieve fiber hyperplasia of nerve tissue and prevent adhesion, and it can improve recovery of conduction velocity and regeneration of nerve axon.