To compare the effect of nerve regeneration with infiltration of normal saline and nerve growth factor after vein graft to the resected sciatic nerve of rat.

Eighty Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into five experimental groups: orthotopic nerve graft as control group, inside-in vein graft with normal saline infiltration, inside-out vein graft with normal saline infiltration, inside-in vein graft with nerve growth factor infiltration and inside-out vein graft with nerve growth factor infiltration group. Animals of each group were sacrificed after electromyography at 2, 4, 8 and 12 weeks after operation. Also the light microscopy and transmission electron microscopy were performed to observe histologic change of grafted sites.

This study demonstrates that autogenous vein graft serves as a conduit for nerve regeneration, and inside-out vein graft technique and nerve growth factor induce faster and more numerous axonal regeneration and earlier recovery of muscle power.

Inside-out vein graft with nerve growth factor infiltration is supposed to be a promising technique to take the place of autogenous nerve graft.