Influence of calcium alginate on peripheral nerve regeneration: in vivo study

Recently, we described the influence of sodium alginate on the inflammatory infiltrate during neuroregeneration in tube nerve grafts. It was noticeable that there was the coexistence of inflammatory cells, including neutrophils, plasma cells, and macrophages with Schwann cells and axons. This may indicate a beneficial interaction between alginates and the infiltrate and the additional beneficial effect of the cells on the neuroregeneration process in the inflammatory infiltrates. In this study, we have performed in vivo evaluation of our novel tubular implant prepared by a polyurethane/polylactide blend filled with alginate fibers. The influence of filling the lumen of the tubes with sodium and calcium alginates on the regeneration process of the rat sciatic nerve was investigated. The neuroregeneration process was assessed by detailed histomorphometric studies, axon counting, and calculating the regenerative indexes. It was observed that calcium alginate had a supportive effect on nerve regeneration similar to nerve autotransplant.