Aiming to compare three neuroanastomosis techniques, 54 female rats were divided into three groups of 18 animals each. The right-side ciatic nerves of these animals were trans-sectioned and, immediately, treated by means of the following techniques: three plain epineural suture stitches, one epineural suture stitch together with a BioFill® sheath, and one perineural suture stitch with fibrine glue. Analysis of the results was based on histopathological aspects of the anastomotic area. It was noted that the presence of the suture material was responsible for the poor directioning of the nerve fibers and formation of a neurome in the anastomosis area, due to the collision of the regenerating nervous fibers with the granulomatous reaction to the suture string. Thus, changes such as Wallerian degeneration, formation of a neurome and proliferation of fibrous tissue were noticed in all three treatments, being more evident in the group that received three stitches of epineural suture. Based on histological results obtained from the use of the BioFill® sheath and the fibrine glue, the efficiency of these techniques for repairing damaged peripheral nerves was evident. However, the use of the BioFill® sheath ensures advantages such as availability, technical simplicity and low cost. Therefore, it becomes a better alternative for microsurgical repair of peripheral nerve.
neuroanastomosis; epineural suture; sheath; fibrine glue
