Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Bacterial cellulose tubes as a nerve conduit for repairing complete facial nerve transection in a rat model

  • Miscellaneous
  • Published:
European Archives of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

Functionality of the facial nerve is cosmetically important. While many techniques have been investigated, early and effective treatment for traumatic facial nerve paralysis remains challenging. Here, we aim to examine bacterial cellulose (BC) as a new tubularization material for improving facial nerve regeneration.

Methods

Our study was performed on 40 female Sprague Dawley rats. Rats were randomly divided into four groups, with 10 rats per group. In all rats, the main trunk of the facial nerve was completely cut 8 mm before the branching point. For repairing the facial nerve, in group 1, the nerve was left to recover spontaneously (control group); in group 2, it was repaired by primary suturing (8.0 Ethilon sutures, Ethicon); in group 3, BC tubes alone were used to aid nerve repair; and in group 4, both BC tubes and primary sutures (8.0 Ethilon sutures) were used. After 10 weeks, the facial nerve regeneration was evaluated by the whisker movement test and electrophysiologically (nerve stimulation threshold and compound muscle action potential). Nerve regeneration was assessed by calculating the number of myelinated nerve fibers, and by microscopically evaluating the amount of regeneration and fibrosis.

Results

No significant difference was observed among the groups in terms of whisker movement and electrophysiological parameters (P > 0.05). We found that the numbers of regenerating myelinated fibers were significantly increased (P < 0.05) when BC tubes were used as a nerve conduit.

Conclusions

BC can be easily shaped into a hollow tube that guides nerve axons, resulting in better nerve regeneration after transection.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Toulgoat F, Sarrazin JL, Benoudiba F et al (2013) Facial nerve: from anatomy to pathology. Diagn Interv Imaging 94(10):1033–1042

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Limb CJ, Niparko JK (2004) The acute facial palsies. In: Neurotology. Elsevier Inc., New York

  3. Karlidag T, Yildiz M, Yalcin S et al (2012) Evaluation of the effect of methylprednisolone and N-acetylcystein on anastomotic degeneration and regeneraton of the facial nerve. Auris Nasus Larynx 39(2):145–150

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Lee LN, Lyford-Pike S, Boahene KD (2013) Traumatic facial nerve injury. Otolaryngol Clin North Am 46(5):825–839

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Stenner E (1979) Hypoglossal facial anastomosis: its significance for modern facial surgery. II. Combined approach in extratemporal facial nerve reconstruction. Clin Plast Surg 6(3):471–486

    Google Scholar 

  6. Navissano M, Malan F, Carnino R et al (2005) Neurotube for facial nerve repair. Microsurgery 25(4):268–271

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Hadlock TA, Cheney ML, McKenna MJ (2005) Facial reanimation surgery. Surgery of the ear and temporal bone. Lippincott Williams and Wilkins, Philadelphia, pp 461–72

  8. Henstrom DK (2014) Masseteric nerve use in facial reanimation. Curr Opin Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 22:284–290

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Klebuc MJA (2011) Facial reanimation using masseter-to-facial nerve transfer. Plast Reconstr Surg 127:1909–1915

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Tang YD, Zheng XS, Ying TT et al (2015) Nimodipine-mediated re-myelination after facial nerve crush injury in rats. J Clin Neurosci 22(10):1661–1668

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Briggs R, Mattox DE (1991) Management of the facial nerve in skull base surgery. Otolaryngol Clin North Am 24:653–662

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Kowalska-Ludwicka K, Cala J, Grobelski B et al (2013) Modified bacterial cellulose tubes for regeneration of damaged peripheral nerves. Arch Med Sci 9(3):527–534

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Goldschmidt E, Cacicedo M, Kornfeld S et al (2016) Construction and in vitro testing of a cellulose dura mater graft. Neurol Res 23:1–7

    Google Scholar 

  14. Sulaeva I, Henniges U, Rosenau T et al (2015) Bacterial cellulose as a material for wound treatment: properties and modifications. A review. Biotechnol Adv 33(8):1547–1571

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Zang S, Zhang R, Chen H et al (2015) Investigation on artificial blood vessels prepared from bacterial cellulose. Mater Sci Eng C Mater Biol Appl 46:111–117

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Zhu C, Liu F, Qian W et al (2015) Esophageal replacement by hydroxylated bacterial cellulose patch in a rabbit model. Turk J Med Sci 45(4):762–770

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Altun I, Çıralık H (2015) Histopathological effects of tissue adhesives on experimental peripheral nerve transection model in rats. J Korean Neurosurg Soc 58(6):504–507

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Dellon AL, Mackinnon SE (1988) An alternative to the classical nerve graft for the management of the short nerve gap. Plast Reconstr Surg 82:849–856

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Fields RD, Le Beau JM, Longo FM et al (1989) Nerve regeneration through artificial tubular implants. Prog Neurobiol 33:87–134

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Lundborg G, Rosén B, Dahlin L et al (1997) Tubular versus conventional repair of median and ulnar nerves in the human forearm: early results from a prospective, randomized, clinical study. J Hand Surg Am 22(1):99–106

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Glück T (1880) Ueber neuroplastik auf dem wege der transplantation. Arch Klin Chir 25:606–616

    Google Scholar 

  22. Tang JB, Gu YQ, Song YS (1993) Repair of digital nerve defect with autogenous vein graft during flexor tendon surgery in zone 2. J Hand Surg Br 18:449–453

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Tang JB (1995) Vein conduits with interposition of nerve tissue for peripheral nerve defects. J Reconstr Microsurg 11:21–26

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, 02135, USA

    Adem Binnetoglu

  2. Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Pendik Training and Research Hospital, Marmara University Medical Faculty, Istanbul, Turkey

    Berat Demir & Caglar Batman

  3. Department of Histology and Embryology, Marmara University Medical Faculty, Istanbul, Turkey

    Dilek Akakin

  4. Department of Histology and Embryology, Istanbul University Istanbul Medical Faculty, Istanbul, Turkey

    Elif Kervancioglu Demirci

Authors
  1. Adem Binnetoglu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Berat Demir
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Dilek Akakin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Elif Kervancioglu Demirci
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Caglar Batman
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Adem Binnetoglu.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Binnetoglu, A., Demir, B., Akakin, D. et al. Bacterial cellulose tubes as a nerve conduit for repairing complete facial nerve transection in a rat model. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol 277, 277–283 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-019-05637-9

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-019-05637-9

Keywords

Search

Navigation