In vitro nerve repair — in vivo. The reconstruction of peripheral nerves by entubulation with biodegradeable glass tubes — a preliminary report

Biodegradeable “controlled release” inorganic polymer glass tubes can be manufactured to fit the dimensions of any nerve and their rate of solubility can be adjusted to encompass the time taken for nerve regeneration. They have been used in a number of biological applications. The facial nerve was repaired in a group of five sheep by entubulation with biodegradeable glass tubes. The sheep were assessed 10 months after repair and compared with a similar sized group of normal sheep. It was found that while there was a reduction in the peak velocity of conduction in the repaired nerves and in the range of conduction velocities, the minimum conduction velocity was within normal limits. There was a diminution in all of the measured variables of nerve morphometry but in no case did this reach statistical significance. These findings are consistent with the view that regeneration of the nerves had taken place to a degree at least as effective as that seen in nerves of a similar size repaired by conventional means.