Free autologous nerve grafting--comparison of suture materials

The inferior alveolar nerve was reconstructed by grafting the sural nerve in 16 rabbits. Suturing was performed using the non-absorbable suture material Ethilon and absorbable Vicryl. The postoperative results were evaluated by measuring the following parameters: electrical stimulus threshold, conduction velocity, area of myelin sheaths, area of nerve fibres, number of nerve fibres, histogram of the diameter of nerve fibres. All these values are discussed, to give an idea of the healing process and to examine the influence of absorbable suture material.