Morphology of nerve fiber regeneration along a biodegradable poly (DLLA-ϵ-CL) nerve guide filled with fresh skeletal muscle

Previous morphological and morphometrical studies showed that fresh‐skeletal‐muscle‐enriched vein segments are good conduits for leading peripheral nerve regeneration. In the present study, we investigated the morphological features of peripheral nerve fibers regenerated along a 10‐mm‐long biodegradable poly (DLLA‐ϵ‐CL) nerve guide enriched with fresh skeletal muscle, comparing them to nerve fiber regeneration along 10‐mm‐long phosphate‐buffered saline (PBS)‐enriched poly (DLLA‐ϵ‐CL) tubes. Repaired nerves were analyzed at weeks 6 and 24 postoperatively. Structural and ultrastructural observation showed that good nerve fiber regeneration occurred in both PBS‐enriched and fresh‐skeletal‐muscle‐enriched nerve guides, and histomorphometrical analysis of regenerated myelinated fibers revealed no statistically significant differences between the two experimental groups at week 24 after surgery. The employment of fresh‐muscle‐enriched conduits for the repair of nerve defects is critically discussed in the light of these results. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc. MICROSURGERY 23:338–345 2003