Nerve regeneration through biodegradable gelatin conduits in mice.

OBJECTIVE: To test if fabricated gelatin conduits can be used to bridge nerve inter-stump gaps and support regeneration.
DESIGN: Experimental laboratory study.
SETTING: Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Japan.
SUBJECTS: Twenty-four adult mice. INTERVENTION: Mouse's sciatic nerve was resected and both proximal and distal nerve stumps sutured into each end of a gelatin conduit, to bridge a 7-mm gap. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Nerve regeneration.
RESULTS: At one week post-implantation, a scaffolding fibrin matrix containing few mononuclear cells formed inside the conduit. At three weeks, a well regenerated nerve composed of myelinated and unmyelinated axons, associated Schwann cells and surrounding perineurial sheath bridged the gap.
CONCLUSION: Biodegradable gelatin conduits direct and support nerve regeneration and are therefore promising tools for use in entubulization repair of nerve defects.