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. 2019 Jul;14(7):1109-1115.
doi: 10.4103/1673-5374.251186.

Bridging larger gaps in peripheral nerves using neural prosthetics and physical therapeutic agents

Muhammad Sana Ullah Sahar  1 , Matthew Barton  2 , Geoffrey Douglas Tansley  1
Affiliations

Bridging larger gaps in peripheral nerves using neural prosthetics and physical therapeutic agents

Muhammad Sana Ullah Sahar et al. Neural Regen Res. 2019 Jul.

Abstract

Peripheral nerve injuries are relatively common and can be caused by a variety of traumatic events such as motor vehicle accidents. They can lead to long-term disability, pain, and financial burden, and contribute to poor quality of life. In this review, we systematically analyze the contemporary literature on peripheral nerve gap management using nerve prostheses in conjunction with physical therapeutic agents. The use of nerve prostheses to assist nerve regeneration across large gaps (> 30 mm) has revolutionized neural surgery. The materials used for nerve prostheses have been greatly refined, making them suitable for repairing large nerve gaps. However, research on peripheral nerve gap management using nerve prostheses reports inconsistent functional outcomes, especially when prostheses are integrated with physical therapeutic agents, and thus warrants careful investigation. This review explores the effectiveness of nerve prostheses for bridging large nerve gaps and then addresses their use in combination with physical therapeutic agents.

Keywords: axonal growth; electric stimulation; nerve conduits; nerve gap; nerve prosthesis; nerve regeneration; nerve repair; physical therapeutic agents.

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Conflict of interest statement

None

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Literature search scheme and selection criteria to enroll studies in this review. PTAs: Physical therapeutic agents.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Trend of publications on peripheral nerve regeneration using nerve prostheses. PTAs: Physical therapeutic agents.
Figure 3
Figure 3
The use of various nerve prostheses in bridging a variety of gap lengths. ePTFE: Polytetrafluoroethylene; PCL: poly ε-caprolactone; PLA: poly-lactic acid; PHBV: poly 3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate; PHB: poly-3-hydroxybutyrate; PGA: poly-glycolic acid.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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