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Updated: Jul 19, 2026
Facial Nerve Surgery in the Rat Model to Study Axonal Inhibition and Regeneration
Published on: May 5, 2020
[Experimental study on facial nerve regeneration by porous silk fibroin conduit]
Yan Lu1, Fang-lu Chi, Xia Zhao
1Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Huashan Hospital, Shanghai 200040, China.
Objective:
To evaluate the feasibility of using polyporus silk fibroin as a kind of novel material for facial nerve regeneration.
Methods:
The porous silk fibroin conduit was used in the reconstruction of a 5 mm facial nerve gap of SD rat. Chitosan conduit was taken as control group. General observation, electrophysiological study, histological study and image analysis were performed 2, 4, 6 and 8 weeks postoperatively.
Results:
The facial nerve of SD rat regenerated successfully as time passed through. Mean CAP percentage of regenerated nerve in SF conduit was 24.94% +/- 5.73% 8 weeks postoperatively, which had no statistical significance with that of chitosan conduit group (P = 1.125). And the average number of myelinated myelinated nerve fibers in SF conduit was 62. 5 +/- 6. 3, which had statistical significance with that in chitosan conduit group (P = 0.016).
Conclusions:
The porous silk fibroin conduit could effectively repair facial nerve defect and improve peripheral nerve functional recovery.
