Prevention and treatment of amputation neuroma by an atelocollagen tube in rat sciatic nerves.

To evaluate the potential of the atelocollagen tube as a cap for amputation neuromas, the histological and histochemical characteristics of the neuroma and spinal cord were compared with those following silicone capping. Four weeks after the transection of 18 rat sciatic nerves, the amputated neuroma was resected, and the nerve stump inserted into an atelocollagen or silicone tube. The histological changes in the nerve ends and c-fos expression in the dorsal horn of the fourth lumbar spinal cord were evaluated at 4 weeks postoperatively. The regenerated nerve structure in the atelocollagen or silicone tube was very thin. In contrast, a typical bulbous neuroma was observed in the control group (the nerve stump was left in place). The atelocollagen and silicone tube groups demonstrated fewer c-fos-expressed cells in the spinal cord than the controls. These results suggest that capping by an atelocollagen tube, like that by a silicone tube, might successfully prevent an amputated neuroma from forming, and suppress induced pain. The atelocollagen tube may be a promising biomaterial for the prevention or treatment of a painful amputation neuroma. (c) 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.