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Journal of Neurorestoratology 2016, 4(1): 107-113 https://doi.org/10.2147/JN.S119419
Review | Open Access | Issue | Published: 14 December 2016

Progress of nerve bridges in the treatment of peripheral nerve disruptions

Show Author's Information Qiang Ao( )
Department of Tissue Engineering, School of Fundamental Science, China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, Peoples’ Republic of China
Keywords:
repair, peripheral nerve injury, acellular nerve graft, nerve conduit
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Ao Q. Progress of nerve bridges in the treatment of peripheral nerve disruptions. Journal of Neurorestoratology, 2016, 4(1): 107-113. https://doi.org/10.2147/JN.S119419
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Abstract Full text About this article

Clinical repair of a nerve defect is one of the most challenging surgical problems. Autologous nerve grafting remains the gold standard treatment in addressing peripheral nerve injuries that cannot be bridged by direct epineural suturing. However, the autologous nerve graft is not readily available, and the process of harvesting autologous nerve graft results in several complications. Thus, it is necessary to explore an alternative to autologous nerve graft. In the last few decades, with significant advances in the life sciences and biotechnology, a lot of artificial nerve grafts have been developed to aim at the treatment of peripheral nerve disruptions. Artificial nerve grafts range from biological tubes to synthetic tubes and from nondegradable tubes to degradable tubes. Among them, acellular nerve allografts and artificial nerve repair conduits are two kinds of the most promising substitutes for nerve autografts. The history, research status, and prospect of acellular nerve allografts and artificial nerve repair conduits are described briefly in this review.


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About this article

Progress of nerve bridges in the treatment of peripheral nerve disruptions

Show Author's information Qiang Ao( )
Department of Tissue Engineering, School of Fundamental Science, China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, Peoples’ Republic of China

Abstract

Clinical repair of a nerve defect is one of the most challenging surgical problems. Autologous nerve grafting remains the gold standard treatment in addressing peripheral nerve injuries that cannot be bridged by direct epineural suturing. However, the autologous nerve graft is not readily available, and the process of harvesting autologous nerve graft results in several complications. Thus, it is necessary to explore an alternative to autologous nerve graft. In the last few decades, with significant advances in the life sciences and biotechnology, a lot of artificial nerve grafts have been developed to aim at the treatment of peripheral nerve disruptions. Artificial nerve grafts range from biological tubes to synthetic tubes and from nondegradable tubes to degradable tubes. Among them, acellular nerve allografts and artificial nerve repair conduits are two kinds of the most promising substitutes for nerve autografts. The history, research status, and prospect of acellular nerve allografts and artificial nerve repair conduits are described briefly in this review.

Keywords: repair, peripheral nerve injury, acellular nerve graft, nerve conduit

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Published: 14 December 2016
Issue date: December 2016

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