Repairing a 35-mm-long median nerve defect with a chitosan/PGA artificial nerve graft in the human: a case study.
We have developed a chitosan/polyglycolic acid (PGA) artificial nerve graft which was previously used for bridge implantation of dog sciatic nerves across 30-mm long defects. Here we describe a clinical trial of this graft for repairing a 35-mm-long median nerve defect at elbow of a human patient. During the 3-year follow-up period, functional recovery of the injured median nerve was assessed by pinch gauge test, hydraulic hand dynamometry, static two-point discrimination and touch test with monofilaments, in couple with electrophysiological examinations. The motor and sensory function of the median nerve demonstrated an ongoing recovery postimplantation, reaching M4 and S3+ levels during the follow-up period. The results indicate that the chitosan/PGA artificial nerve graft could be used for surgical repair of larger defects in major peripheral nerves at a higher level in the human.
Fan
Weimin
W
Department of Orthopaedics, First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, JS, People's Republic of China.
Gu
Jianhui
J
Hu
Wen
W
Deng
Aidong
A
Ma
Yimin
Y
Liu
Jie
J
Ding
Fei
F
Gu
Xiaosong
X
D048271:Chitosan / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008475:Median Nerve / Q000293:injuries* / Q000502:physiology / Q000601:surgery*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009416:Nerve Regeneration; D052581:Pinch Strength; D011100:Polyglycolic Acid / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019736:Prostheses and Implants; D019919:Prosthesis Implantation; D014110:Touch
D011100:Polyglycolic Acid; D048271:Chitosan