The effect of systemic triamcinolone acetonide on nerve repair

The effects of timed-release pellets of triamcinolone acetonide on sciatic nerve regeneration were studied. Bilateral nerve defects were created in 18 rats. One defect was sutured primarily, while the contralateral side was grafted with a 1 cm autogenous graft. Nerve regeneration was assessed at 20 weeks by muscle-twitch strength and compound action potential parameters measured proximal and distal to the repair site. Conduction velocity and regenerative index (ratio of distal to proximal compound action potential area) were calculated. Significant improvement of the regenerative index and twitch strength occurred in animals treated with a 0.5 mg 21-day-release pellet. Improvement occurred in animals treated with 0.5 mg 60-day pellets, but the difference was not significant. The findings suggest that regeneration was enhanced as a result of increased numbers of axons that made distal connections in the animals that received 21-day-release triamcinolone systemically. Corticosteroid therapy may benefit motor nerve repair.