Fator de crescimento nervoso associado à cola de fibrina no reparo nervoso término-lateral. Estudo experimental em ratos

Abstract

Purpose: The Nerve Growth Factor (NGF) has been considered a possible alternative to nerve repair potentialization. However, the best way to present it in the repair has not been fully set. Recently, the fibrin glue (FG) has been described as a promising alternative to deliver NGF in end-to-end nerve repair. The excellent results stimulated its use in others kind of nerve repairs. The End-to-side nerve repair (ETS), performed with FG containing NFG, has not yet been tested and justified this study. Methods: 72 Wistar rats were distributed into six equal groups: group A was not submitted to surgery (control group); group B was submitted to fibular section only; group C was submitted to classic ETS with sutures; group D to ETS with sutures and NGF; group E to ETS with FG only; group F to ETS with FG containing NGF. The motor function was accompanied in the preoperative and after 30, 60 e 90 days. Ninety days after the surgery, the tibial cranial muscle mass, the number and diameter of the muscular fibers and the regenerated axons were measured to compare the group results. Results: There was no difference in the animal mass, demonstrating the homogeneity of the sample and confirming the standardization of the study (p>0.05). All the other analyzed variables did not show any differences among the operated groups, independent from the technique used in the repair (suture x FG) (p>0.05), and also did not show positive influence in the addition of NGF in group F (p>0.05). In all the analyzed variables the animals submitted to ETS were statistically superior to group B, showing the repair success (p<0.05). However their results were inferior to the control group (p>0.05). Conclusions: The ETS showed the same good recovery pattern, independent from the kind of repair used. The addition of NGF in FG was not enough for the potentialization of the ETS results.