Ozay, RafetKeskin, EmrahBalkan, Mehmet SerdarAktaş, AbitAktürk, Umut DoğuEsener, Osman Behzat BurakAktürk, TülinHanalioğlu, ŞahinAtabey, CemŞekerci, Zeki2023-07-062023-07-062023Ozay, R., Keskin, E., Balkan, M. S., Aktaş, A., Aktürk, U. D., Esener, O. B. B. ... Şekerci, Z. (2023). Effects of topically applied contractubex (R) on epidural fibrosis and axonal regeneration in injured rat sciatic nerve. Turkish Neurosurgery, 33(3), 437-446. https://dx.doi.org/10.5137/1019-5149.JTN.40989-22.21019-5149https://dx.doi.org/10.5137/1019-5149.JTN.40989-22.2https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12511/11150AIM: To investigate the effects of Contractubex (R) (Cx) on peripheral nerve regeneration and scar formation. MATERIAL and METHODS: A surgical procedure involving sciatic nerve incision in 24 adult male Sprague-Dawley rats followed by epineural suturing was performed. In weeks 4 and 12 following surgery, macroscopic, histological, functional, and electromyographic examinations of the sciatic nerve were conducted. RESULTS: No significant difference was found between the Cx group and the control group in terms of sciatic function index (SFI) and distal latency results at week 4 (p>0.05). However, significant improvements in the Cx group were observed in SFI amplitudes and nerve action potentials at week 12 (p<0.001 and p<0.001, respectively). Significant improvements were found in the amplitudes of nerve action potentials in the treatment group after weeks 4 and 12 (p<0.05 and p<0.001, respectively). Macroscopically and histopathologically, epidural fibrosis decreased (p<0.05 and p<0.001, respectively). For both measurement times, the treatment group had significantly higher numbers of axons (week 4, p<0.05; week 12, p<0.001), and the treatment group had better results regarding its axon area (weeks 4 and 12, p<0.001) and myelin thickness (weeks 4 and 12, p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Cx, which is applied topically in peripheral nerve injury, affects axonal regeneration and axonal maturation positively and reduces the functional loss.eninfo:eu-repo/semantics/openAccessContractubexPeripheral NerveScarringRatsArticle33343744610.5137/1019-5149.JTN.40989-22.2Q40009961288000112-s2.0-8515996663737222011Q3