Affiliations: Division of Neurosurgery and Neuroscience Research
Program, Sunnybrook & Women's College Health Sciences Centre, University of
Toronto, Canada | Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied
Chemistry and Department of Chemistry, Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical
Engineering, University of Toronto, Canada
Note: [] Corresponding author: Rajiv Midha, MD, MSc, FRCS(C), Head,
Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of
Calgary, Foothills Medical Centre, Room 1195, 1403 - 29 Street N.W. Calgary,
Alberta, T2N 2T9, Canada. Tel.: +403 944 1259; Fax: +403 270 7878; E-mail:
[email protected]
Abstract: Purpose: As alternatives to nerve grafts for peripheral nerve
repair, we have synthesized 12 mm long poly(2-hydroxyethyl
methacrylate-co-methyl methacrylate) (PHEMA-MMA) porous tubes and studied their
regenerative capacity for the repair of surgically-created 10 mm rat sciatic
nerve gaps. We compared the in vivo regenerative efficacy of these artificial
tubes with the gold standard, the nerve autograft. Methods: Tubes were assessed in vivo for their ability to support
nerve regeneration at 4, 8, and 16 weeks post-implantation by histology,
electrophysiology, histomorphometry, and reinnervated lateral gastrocnemius
(LG) dry muscle mass. Results: Axonal regeneration within the tubes was observed by 8
weeks, with outcome parameters comparable to autografts. This finding was
further supported by the electrophysiological and histomorphometric results.
The 16 week tube group had a bimodal response, with 60% of the tubes having a
similar response to autografts and the other 40% having significantly lower (p
< 0.05) outcome measures in several parameters. Conclusions: Axonal regeneration in artificial tubes was similar to
that in autografts at 8 and 16 weeks, however, a bimodal distribution of
regeneration was observed in 16 week tubes.
