Enhancement of Peripheral Nerve Regeneration Using Bioabsorbable Polymer Tubes Packed With Fibrin Gel

Abstract

Nerve conduit tubes were developed using bioabsorbable polymer membranes, and the effects of tube shape--straight or bellows-shaped tubes--and the fibrin gel filling were investigated. The mechanical properties of the tubes were examined by in vitro tests, and their effectiveness for peripheral nerve regeneration was determined by grafting into experimentally transected sciatic nerves of rats. The bellows tube showed mechanically superior properties, and when used with the fibrin gel, it induced superior tissue formation of myelinated nerve fibers as compared to other tube types. The total area of myelinated axons regenerated in the fibrin-filled bellows tube was comparable to that of an isograft control, whereas those of the other tubes demonstrated inferior regeneration. This result suggests that the mechanically superior bellows tube filled with fibrin gel is an effective graft alternative for peripheral nerve regeneration.

Evaluation of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyhexanoate) conduits for peripheral nerve regeneration

“…Nowadays, the clinical technique for the reconstruction in a peripheral nerve injury is still the use of autologous nerve grafts. But this approach has a number of inevitable disadvantages including extended surgery, loss of donor nerve function, limited supply of donor nerves and so on [2][3][4]. Other surgical methods including allograft, autologous and allogenous organs or tissues including blood vessels and skeletal muscles were investigated.…”

“…Once the adult nerve tissue is injured, it is hard to regenerate especially when a nerve defect or gap is too long [2,3]. Nowadays, the clinical technique for the reconstruction in a peripheral nerve injury is still the use of autologous nerve grafts.…”

“…Peripheral nerve injuries are very common in clinical practice and often lead to permanent disability [1][2][3][4]. Once the adult nerve tissue is injured, it is hard to regenerate especially when a nerve defect or gap is too long [2,3].…”

Application of 2 Different Hemostatic Procedures During Microsurgical Median Nerve Reconstruction in the Rat Does Not Hinder Axonal Regeneration

“…Moreover, faster axon growth in a high-viscosity gel matrix applied between the 2 nerve stumps could be postulated. 17 On the other hand, bipolar coagulation can cause thermal damage to Schwann cells, which can compensate for or even overwhelm the positive hemostatic effect. This could explain the delayed progression of motor recovery at week 6 after operation.…”

Bioabsorbable device for small‐caliber vessel anastomosis

“…Each sample was soaked in a test tube with 50 ml phosphate buffer solution (pH 7.4) and maintained in an incubator at 378C. After 0, 2,4,5,6,7,8,12, and 24 weeks of incubation, the respective samples (n 5 5 for each incubation period) were retrieved and subjected to a mechanical test using a testing machine (AGS-J; Simadzu, Kyoto, Japan) at a crosshead speed of 50 mm min 21 . The tensile strengths of the samples were determined from the measured maximum loads.…”