Local Administration of Methylprednisolone Laden Hydrogel Enhances Functional Recovery of Transected Sciatic Nerve in Rat

To determine the effects of methylprednisolone-laden hydrogel loaded into a chitosan conduit on the functional recovery of peripheral nerve using a rat sciatic nerve regeneration model was assessed.
10-mm sciatic nerve defect was bridged using a chitosan conduit (CHIT/CGP-Hydrogel) filled with CGP-hydrogel. In authograft group (AUTO) a segment of sciatic nerve was transected and reimplanted reversely. In methylprednisolone treated group (CHIT/MP) the conduit was filled with methylprednisolone-laden CGP-hydrogel. The regenerated fibers were studied within 16 weeks after surgery.
The behavioral, functional and electrophysiological studies confirmed faster recovery of the regenerated axons in methylprednisolone treated group compared to CHIT/Hydrogel group (p Methylprednisolone-laden hydrogel when loaded in a chitosan conduit resulted in improvement of functional recovery and quantitative morphometric indices of sciatic nerve.