The Effects of Infusion of Perineural Pregabalin in the Experimentally Created Sciatic Nerve Anastomosis in Rats

Abstract

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECT: The aim of our study was to assess the effect of perineural pregabalin administration on the success of coaptation in experimental rat sciatic nerve anastomosis by measuring the expression of anti-inflammatory cytokine TGF-beta. It is thus to provide alternative solutions to this problem which we often see in clinical practice and whose results are not satisfactory.

METHODS: In our study, 40 adult, male, Sprague-Dawley rats; 5 groups were randomly assigned Group 1: This group's sciatic nerves were dissected and the surgical site was sutured. Group 2: Rats whose sciatic nerves are sectioned transversely through the fill-thickness and end-to-end anastomosis is performed and no additional procedure is performed. Group 3: Intraperitoneal administration of 30 mg / kg pregabalin for 7 days with anastomosis. Group 4: 30 mg/kg pregabalin given orally for 7 days with anastomosis. Group 5: Given 10 microliters / h pregabalin subcutaneous perineural infusion for 7 days with anastomosis. After 60 days of surgery, the experiment was terminated with high dose thiopental (50 mg/kg). The right sciatic nerves of all animals were taken and sections obtained were examined immunohistopathologically.

RESULTS: Inflammation was significantly less in the 5th group than in the other groups. TGF-beta expression in Groups 3, 4, and 5 is significantly higher than Groups 1 and 2, which also supports this situation. Although the expression in group 5 was not statistically significant, the number of TGF-beta expression was higher than Groups 3 and 4. In terms of immunohistochemical properties; 1 to 3, 1 to 4, 1 to 5, 2 to 5 groups were statistically significant (p<0,05).

CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, perinural infusion of pregabalin into the anastomotic region has not been previously tried in the literature and it has been found that immunohistochemistry provides positive contributions to healing of anastomosis. More research is needed to demonstrate that this effect is superior to other methods of administration of the drug.