title: 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.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biomaterials and Bioengineering, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Kazuya
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nakayama
authors.forename: Kazuo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Takakuda
authors.forename: Yoshihisa
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Koyama
authors.forename: Soichiro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Itoh
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Tomokazu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mukai
authors.forename: Noriaki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Shirahama
mesh_terms: D020341:Absorbable Implants; D000818:Animals; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D005337:Fibrin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008422:Materials Testing; D009416:Nerve Regeneration / Q000502:physiology*; D011091:Polyesters / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012584:Sciatic Nerve / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D011091:Polyesters; C523703:poly(L-lactide-co-glycolide-co-epsilon-caprolactone); D005337:Fibrin