The Role of Nerve Graft Substitutes in Motor and Mixed Motor/Sensory Peripheral Nerve Injuries

Abstract

Alternatives to nerve autograft have been invented and approved for clinical use. The reported outcomes of these alternatives in mixed motor nerve repair in humans are scarce and marked by wide variabilities. The purpose of our Current Concepts review is to provide an evidence-based overview of the effectiveness of nerve conduits and allografts in motor and mixed sensory/motor nerve reconstruction. Nerve graft substitutes have good outcomes in mixed/motor nerves in gaps less than 6 mm and internal diameters between 3 and 7 mm. There is insufficient evidence for their use in larger-gap and -diameter nerves; the evidence remains that major segmental motor or mixed nerve injury is optimally treated with a cabled nerve autograft.

Keywords: Conduit; allograft; motor nerve; peripheral nerve injury.