Time dependency of traumatic neuroma development: Comments on "reduction of osttraumatic neuroma and epineural scar formation in rat sciatic nerve by application of microcrystallic chitosan"
Abstract
Dear Editor, Marcol et al. performed a nice study examining the possible role of microcrystallic chitosan gel applied to the proximal stump of totally transected sciatic nerve on the neuroma formation and neuropathic pain development in seven male rats and compared their results with seven control rats where the sciatic nerve was left unsecured. Although the study was generally well performed and its results were well documented and discussed, the study completely omitted to discuss the time factors in the development of traumatic neuroma: (1) authors did not stated or discussed the time windows in which chitosan gel maintained its integrity and its remnants completely diminish from tissues, and thus the reader can not perform any conclusion what happened with the material during the 20-week period used in this study.
Importantly, the use of resorbable material for the prevention of traumatic neuroma might have been burden with increased risk of its development after the chitosan gel resorption-numerous reports indicate traumatic neuroma might develop even several years after the surgery. In spite of the aforementioned comment, the study clearly represents a very important contribution to clinical problematic of traumatic neuroma development.