Adult Stem Cell-Based Enhancement of Nerve Conduit for Peripheral Nerve Repair
Abstract
Musculoskeletal trauma is frequently accompanied by injuries to peripheral nerves; if not repaired, the trauma can lead to significant dysfunction and disability. While nerves have the ability to regenerate and to reconnect across a limited gap, surgical intervention is often required to assist them in bridging a larger gap. Typically, surgeons will transplant a less important nerve from elsewhere in the body to the site of injury to provide a patch for the injured nerve. However, acceptable donor nerves are often not available for this purpose, particularly in patients suffering multiple extremity injuries or faced with traumatic amputations. Alternatives include the use of a blood vessel graft or a synthetic nerve guide, although these devices are only effective over distances less than 3 cm, mainly because of their lack of appropriate nerve-enhancing biological activities. In our current work, we have identified and isolated stem cells from the injured tissue site that have wound healing promoting activities. In this application, we propose to use these cells, which may be obtained autologously from the patient, in conjunction with a biodegradable scaffold tube to form bioactive nerve conduits that may be grafted to provide better guidance for the microstructure of the nerve to bridge the injury gap.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 2017
- Accession Number
- AD1047545
Entities
People
- Peter G Alexander
- Rocky Tuan
Organizations
- University of Pittsburgh