The electrophysiology analysis of biological conduit sleeve bridging rhesus monkey median nerve injury with small gap.

Based on the research on small gap bridging peripheral nerve injury in SD rats, we propose to investigate the possibility of bridging peripheral nerve injury with small gap using a de-acetyl chitin conduit in primates. The median nerves of 8 rhesus monkeys were cut at 2 cm above the elbow; the right sides were subjected to small gap (2 mm) bridging to repair the nerve with chitin conduit (conduit inner diameter 4 mm; length 10 mm); the left sides were subjected to traditionary epineurium suture. The electrophysiology analysis was conducted after the 3rd month and 6th month, respectively. The adhesions condition of biological conduit was only a little after the 15 3rd month; the conduit can remain cast contour; vessels can be seen on the conduit 16 surface and nerve intumescentia was not obvious. The adhesion and intumescentia condition can display better biocompatibilities than traditional suture methods. The motor nerve conduction velocity was only 1/2 of the control group. Although the motor nerve conduction velocity of the conduit group was a little higher than the epineurium suture group, there was no statistically significant difference (P>0.05) at the 3rd month (Table 1). The conduit cast contour disappeared after 6 months. The motor nerve conduction velocity was only 4/5 of the control group. The motor nerve conduction velocity of the conduit group was higher than the epineurium suture group; there were statistically significant differences (P<0.05) at 6 months. The nerve trunk conduction velocity of biological conduit was higher than the epineurium suture group at the 6th month, and there were statistically significant differences (P<0.05) (Table 2). The biocompatibility of the biological chitin conduit in primate rhesus monkeys was quite good. The electrophysiological results of biological conduit in primate rhesus monkeys were better than the traditional epineurium suture. The biological conduit can be used in primate rhesus monkeys to substitute for the traditional epineurium suture methods.