Determining the maximal length of a vein conduit used as an interposition graft for nerve regeneration.

Although autogenous veins have been used as nerve conduits (AVNCs) both experimentally and clinically for short nerve gaps up to 3 cm, investigators have not as yet determined the maximal effective length for functional nerve regeneration. In addition, the role of the distal nerve stump on subsequent nerve growth remains unclear. A rabbit peroneal nerve AVNC model was used to study axonal regeneration through nerve gaps of 1 to 6 cm.