• D S Utley, S L Lewin, E T Cheng, A N Verity, D Sierra, and D J Terris.
• Division of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Stanford University Medical Center, Calif., USA.
• Arch Otolaryngol. 1996 Apr 1;122(4):407-13.

ObjectiveTo investigate the effect of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and collagen tubulization (CT) on the regeneration of transected peripheral nerves. METHODS AND DESIGNS: The left sciatic nerve of 40 Sprague-Dawley rats was transected then repaired using one of four techniques; epineurial coaptation, CT, CT with BDNF delivered by an osmotic pump to the repair site, or CT with BDNF covalently cross-linked to the collagen matrix (CT/linked-BDNF). Sciatic functional indices were measured preoperatively at 10-day intervals for 90 days. Segments of the sciatic nerves proximal and distal to the repair site were harvested at 90 days for histologic and morphometric evaluation.ResultsAnimals repaired by CT/linked-BDNF (n=10) demonstrated the most favorable functional recovery of all groups, with statistically significant differences seen compared with animals repaired by CT (n=10, P=.05) and epineural coaptation (n=9, P<.001). Animals repaired by CT with BDNF delivered by an osmotic pump (n=8) and CT also showed statistically superior functional recovery compared with those repaired by epineurial coaptation (P=.005 and P=.02, respectively). Nerves repaired by CT/linked-BDNF had the largest mean axon diameters proximal and distal to the repair site.ConclusionBrain-derived neurotrophic factor and CT improve the rate and the degree to which recovery of sciatic function occurs after nerve transection and repair. Animals repaired by CT/BDNF-linked demonstrated the most favorable functional recovery of all groups. Animals whose repair technique included BDNF had the largest mean axon diameters of all groups.

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