Mechanical properties of a bioabsorbable nerve guide tube for long nerve defects

S Ichihara; S Facca; P Liverneaux; Y Inada; T Takigawa; K Kaneko; T Nakamura

doi:10.1016/j.main.2015.05.004

Mechanical properties of a bioabsorbable nerve guide tube for long nerve defects

Chir Main. 2015 Sep;34(4):186-92. doi: 10.1016/j.main.2015.05.004. Epub 2015 Jul 6.

Authors

S Ichihara¹, S Facca², P Liverneaux³, Y Inada⁴, T Takigawa⁵, K Kaneko⁶, T Nakamura⁴

Affiliations

¹ Department of bioartificial organs, institute for frontier medical sciences, Kyoto university, Sakyo-ku, 606-8507 Kyoto, Japan; Hand surgery department, Strasbourg university hospitals, FMTS, university of Strasbourg, 67403 Illkirch, France; Department of orthopedic surgery, Juntendo university, 113-8421 Tokyo, Japan.
² Hand surgery department, Strasbourg university hospitals, FMTS, university of Strasbourg, 67403 Illkirch, France.
³ Hand surgery department, Strasbourg university hospitals, FMTS, university of Strasbourg, 67403 Illkirch, France. Electronic address: philippe.liverneaux@chru-strasbourg.fr.
⁴ Department of bioartificial organs, institute for frontier medical sciences, Kyoto university, Sakyo-ku, 606-8507 Kyoto, Japan.
⁵ Department of material chemistry, Kyoto university, Nishikyo-ku, 615-8150 Kyoto, Japan.
⁶ Department of orthopedic surgery, Juntendo university, 113-8421 Tokyo, Japan.

PMID: 26159579
DOI: 10.1016/j.main.2015.05.004

Abstract

The mechanical properties of nerve guide tubes must be taken into consideration when they are being developed. We previously reported the feasibility of using 50:50 tubes in a canine 40mm peroneal nerve defect model, where 50:50 represents the proportion of poly(L-lactic) acid (PLLA) and polyglycolic acid (PGA). The aim of the current study was to show that 50:50 tubes have suitable mechanical properties for repairing long nerve defects. Four types of nerve guide tubes made with PLLA to PGA fiber ratios of 100:0 (i.e. 100% PLLA) (100:0 tube), 50:50 (50:50 tube), 10:90 (10:90 tube), and 0:100 (0:100 tube) were designed and created using a tubular braiding machine. Their mechanical properties were examined in vitro (up to 16 weeks). In compression testing, 50:50 tubes had the highest normalized force value, followed in order by the 100:0, 10:90, and 0:100 tubes up to 8 weeks after immersion. From the point of view of biomechanics and bioresorbability, out of the 4 tube types tested, 50:50 tubes appeared to have the optimal mechanical properties for longer nerve defects.

Keywords: Guide de repousse nerveuse; Mechanical properties; Nerve guide tube; PGA; PLLA; Propriétés mécaniques.

Publication types

Evaluation Study

MeSH terms

Absorbable Implants*
Biocompatible Materials*
Biomechanical Phenomena
Materials Testing
Neurosurgical Procedures / instrumentation
Neurosurgical Procedures / methods
Peripheral Nerves / surgery*
Polyglycolic Acid
Prosthesis Design

Substances

Biocompatible Materials
Polyglycolic Acid