Primary sciatic nerve repair using titanium staples

The primary epineural repair of human peripheral nerves is most often achieved using non-absorbable microsutures, which can elicit a foreign-body reaction. We describe a new system for neural-tissue approximation, consisting of non-penetrating vascular closure staples (VCS) applied to the epineurium. These clips were initially developed for use in microvascular anastomosis, with no knowledge of their effectiveness in neural-tissue approximation. We compare the efficacies of VCS clips and monofilament nylon microsutures in the repair of transected sciatic nerves in 36 adult Sprague Dawley rats (18 treated with 9/0 sutures and 18 treated with VCS clips). In the rat, regeneration starts by day 5, and is well advanced by 4 weeks. To assess the overall repair success, the site of injury, after perfusion fixation, was harvested at 5, 7 and 30 days. The two methods were compared in terms of operative time, the degree of self-mutilation (autotomy), the macroscopic specimens in vivo and the microanatomical continuity through the repair site. Continuity was studied by using PGP-9.5-labelled cryosections and fluorescent secondary antibodies to visualise axonal regeneration. Clip repair was significantly faster in the VCS group (mean +/- s.e.m. = 7.09 +/- 0.36 min versus mean +/- s.e.m. 11.56 +/- 0.51 min in the sutured group) and an equal and minimal degree of autotomy was observed. Macroscopically, all 36 nerves were in continuity and free from neuroma. The use of VCS clips resulted in equivalent visualised regeneration across the repair site at each time point. We believe the use of VCS clips to be a faster and comparable alternative to non-absorbable sutures in primary nerve repair in this experimental model.