Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Clinical Neurosciences and Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
Neurosurgery. 2011 May;68(5):1354-62; discussion 1362. doi: 10.1227/NEU.0b013e31820c08de.
Autologous nerve grafts remain the only proven means of bridging lengthy gaps in peripheral nerve. However, there is very little literature on a reliable long (> 5 cm) nerve autograft animal model.
To establish a reproducible long nerve gap and autograft animal model that is clinically relevant but not cost prohibitive.
The extent of nerve regeneration and electrophysiological recovery after segmental repair of a long nerve defect was evaluated with a sheep model. Thirteen Suffolk sheep were used. An 18-cm segment of radial sensory nerve was harvested from the forelimb, trimmed, divided into 2 equal segments of 7 cm each, and microsurgically repaired to a surgically created defect of 5 cm in the median nerve within the same forelimb. Electrophysiological studies were performed on 6 sheep at 6 months and 6 sheep at 9 months. Samples of the grafted segments were obtained for histology, immunohistochemistry, and morphometric analyses. Electric studies were also performed on an uninjured median nerve of a control animal in tissue that was similarly harvested and processed.
At 6 and 9 months, all sheep had recordable robust nerve action potentials. Nerve conduction velocity and amplitude were slightly decreased compared with control, but the difference was statistically insignificant. Histomorphometric assessment demonstrated that the autografts contained a large number of regenerating axons through graft fascicles in all animals.
The median nerve in the sheep forelimb is a reproducible and reliable model for assessing regeneration through long peripheral nerve grafts.
自体神经移植物仍然是桥接周围神经长段缺损的唯一可靠方法。然而，关于可靠的长（> 5 厘米）神经自体移植物动物模型的文献很少。
建立一种可复制的长神经间隙和自体移植物动物模型，该模型具有临床相关性，但成本不高。
使用绵羊模型评估长节段神经缺损的分段修复后神经再生和电生理恢复的程度。共使用 13 只萨福克绵羊。从前肢采集 18 厘米长的桡感觉神经段，修剪后分成 2 个 7 厘米长的相等段，并在同一前肢的正中神经上显微修复 5 厘米长的手术性缺损。对 6 只绵羊在 6 个月和 6 只绵羊在 9 个月时进行电生理研究。对移植段进行组织学、免疫组织化学和形态计量学分析，并获取样本。还对一只未经受伤的控制动物的正中神经进行了电生理研究，组织同样采集并处理。
在 6 个月和 9 个月时，所有绵羊都有可记录的强神经动作电位。与对照相比，神经传导速度和幅度略有降低，但差异无统计学意义。组织形态计量学评估显示，所有动物的自体移植物束内均有大量再生轴突。
绵羊前肢的正中神经是评估通过长周围神经移植物再生的可复制和可靠模型。
