Comparative Study between Fibrin Scaffold and Autograft in Sciatic Nerve Repair: a Tissue Engineering Approach

Autograft is the golden standard approach in reconstruction of peripheral nerve injuries. However, due to limited accessibility to autograft and the high risk of neuroma formation, an alternative repair method is the target of many investigations. The objective of the present study was to investigate the effect of using fibrin scaffold (FS) in repairing injured sciatic nerve in rats.

Forty five male Wistar rats weighing 200-250g were randomly divided into three groups: control, autograft (A) and fibrin scaffold (FS). The 5mm cut in right sciatic nerve was repaired with autograft and FS in A and FS groups. Animals were then assessed by behavioral and EMG tests in one, three and five weeks following the induced injury. Results were then compared in three groups using one way ANOVA

The obtained data in the first, 3rd and the 5th weeks after the recovery showed no significant difference between experimental groups, but there was a significant difference between experimental groups and the control group. The mean functional index of the sciatic nerve was in parallel in both experimental groups throughout the five weeks of follow-up period. The mean motor response delay had a similar trend and was not significantly different in experimental groups. So was the amplitude of the mean motor action potential.

The presented data are in favor of the notion that the fibrin scaffold could potentially be considered as an alternative approach for autograft transplants in peripheral nerve injuries.