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Facial‐nerve regeneration ability of a hybrid artificial nerve conduit containing uncultured adipose‐derived stromal vascular fraction: An experimental study
Author(s) -
Matsumine Hajime,
Numakura Kazuyuki,
Climov Mihail,
Watanabe Yorikatsu,
Giatsidis Giorgio,
Orgill Dennis P.
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
microsurgery
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.031
H-Index - 63
eISSN - 1098-2752
pISSN - 0738-1085
DOI - 10.1002/micr.30060
Subject(s) - medicine , stromal vascular fraction , facial nerve , regeneration (biology) , axon , stromal cell , myelin , anatomy , surgery , pathology , central nervous system , biology , microbiology and biotechnology
Purpose This study investigated the potential of uncultured‐stromal‐vascular‐fraction (SVF) cells in promoting facial nerve regeneration in a rat model. Materials and Methods A 7‐mm nerve defect was created in the buccal branch of facial nerve in five groups of Lewis rats (total n = 30, n = 6 per group). A silicone tube, infused with syngeneic uncultured‐SVF was implanted into the facial nerve defect. Groups 1–3 received 1 × 10 3 , 1 × 10 5 , and 1 × 10 7 cells, and regenerated nerves were examined at 13 weeks after the surgery. The findings were compared to the autograft and collagen‐alone groups with facial palsy score (FPS), the number of myelinated fibers, fiber diameter, axon diameter, myelin thickness, and g ratio. Results There was no significant difference in FPS between the autograft and 1 × 10 5 ‐cell groups at 13 weeks after surgery, and FPS values of these two groups were significantly higher than those of the other three groups ( P < 0.01). Axon diameter significantly increased in the 1 × 10 5 ‐cell group compared with the 1 × 10 3 ‐ ( P < 0.05) and 1 × 10 7 ‐cell groups ( P < 0.01). Myelin thickness was found to be the highest in the autograft group, followed by the 1 × 10 5 ‐, 1 × 10 3 ‐, 1 × 10 7 ‐cell, and negative control groups, and there were significant differences among all groups ( P < 0.01). Conclusion The infusion of uncultured‐SVF into the artificial nerve conduit promoted optimal nerve regeneration that was significantly better than nerve conduit alone. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microsurgery 37:808–818, 2017.