The experimental study of absorbable chitin conduit for bridging peripheral nerve defect with nerve fasciculu in rats

To investigate the possibility of constructing artificial peripheral nerves using de-acetyl chitin conduit, the sciatic nerves defect model was built at left legs in SD rats. They were divided into 3 groups randomly: group A: nerve graft in situ (n = 12, gap distance 10 mm); group B: biological chitin conduit bridging the peripheral nerve defect (n = 12, gap distance 10 mm); group C: biological chitin conduit bridging the peripheral nerve defect with nerve fibers in conduits (n = 12, gap distance 10 mm). Electrophysiological examination, histological examination and re-myelinated axons counting were applied after 6th and 12th week after operation, respectively. Regenerated nerve fibers were seen in the distal nerve segments of all three groups. The nerve conduction velocity and the re-myelinated axons counting of group A were better than that of group C at both 6th and 12th week time points (p < 0.05). The nerve conduction velocity and the re-myelinated axons counting of group C were better than that of group B at both 6th and 12th week time points (p < 0.05). The repair effects of chitin conduit with nerve fibers in conduit bridging peripheral nerve defect (10 mm) were better than that of simple conduit bridging group, and that of group A (nerve graft group) was better than that of group C.