Regeneration of peripheral motor nerve gaps with a polyglycolic acid-collagen tube: technical case report.
OBJECTIVE
After previous success in regenerating canine peripheral nerves over 80 mm gaps using a bioabsorbable nerve guide tube, we have extended this method to the treatment of patients experiencing various types of nerve injury. This report describes the treatment of two cases of motor nerve disorder.


METHODS
The bioabsorbable nerve tube was a cylindrically woven polyglycolic acid (PGA) tube filled with collagen. A peripheral motor nerve defect (the frontalis branch of the facial nerve) was reconstructed using this PGA-collagen tube in two patients who experienced posttraumatic unilateral eyebrow ptosis for 3 months.


RESULTS
Five months after surgery, both patients regained their ability to voluntarily lift their eyebrows symmetrically. Electrophysiological examination at 5 months revealed recovery of compound muscle action potential and disappearance of distal latency on the affected side.


CONCLUSIONS
This is the first clinical report of motor nerve recovery achieved using the PGA-collagen nerve guide tube. The results suggest that use of a PGA-collagen tube is a promising option for the repair of motor nerve defects.
Inada
Yuji
Y
Department of Orthopedics, Inada Hospital, Nara, Japan.
Hosoi
Hiroshi
H
Yamashita
Akinori
A
Morimoto
Shigeru
S
Tatsumi
Hideaki
H
Notazawa
Shunsuke
S
Kanemaru
Shin-ichi
S
Nakamura
Tatsuo
T
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D048091:Guided Tissue Regeneration / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D009416:Nerve Regeneration; D059348:Peripheral Nerve Injuries; D010525:Peripheral Nerves / Q000601:surgery*; D011100:Polyglycolic Acid; D019736:Prostheses and Implants; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D011100:Polyglycolic Acid