title: The role of an aligned nanofiber conduit in the management of painful neuromas in rat sciatic nerves.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Capping techniques have been used as a treatment modality for the prevention of neuroma formation and the management of neuropathic pain. However, the results are inconsistent and unpredictable. We hypothesize that this situation may be attributable, in part, to the disparities in the type of materials used to manufacturing of the conduits.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this study, a rat model was used and the sciatic nerve was selected for evaluation. In 1 capping group, a sciatic nerve stump was capped with a nonaligned nanofiber conduit (the nonaligned group), whereas in a second capping group, the conduit was made of aligned nanofibers (the aligned group). In another group, the sciatic nerve stump was not capped as a control (the control group). The results of autotomy behavior, extent of neuroma formation, histological changes in the neuroma, and the expression of c-fos as a pain marker in the fourth lumbar spinal cord were evaluated at 8 weeks postoperatively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The control group presented more neuroma-like features in all the observed parameters in comparison with the 2 capping groups; of the 2 capping groups, the aligned group achieved even better outcomes than the nonaligned group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings indicate that the aligned nanofiber conduit is a promising biomaterial for the nerve capping technique, and new treatment strategies using aligned nanofiber conduits may be developed for the management of painful amputated neuromas.
authors.affiliation: From the *Department of Orthopedics, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital; †Department of Orthopaedics (Division of Plastic and Hand Surgery), The Second Affiliated Hospital & Yuying Children's Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China; ‡Division of Plastic Surgery, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS; and §State Key Laboratory for Modification of Chemical Fibers and Polymer Materials, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Donghua University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Hede
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.forename: Feng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Chunyang
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Zhen
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Xia
authors.forename: Xiumei
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Mo
authors.forename: Cunyi
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D008297:Male; D057139:Nanofibers / Q000737:chemistry*; D009416:Nerve Regeneration; D009437:Neuralgia / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D009463:Neuroma / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D019635:Neurosurgical Procedures / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012584:Sciatic Nerve / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome