Abstract:

BACKGROUND: Nerve conduits made of natural or synthetic materials are used as tissue-engineered scaffolds for nerve bridging, and have a guiding and promoting effect on nerve regeneration.
OBJECTIVE: To summarize the application of nerve conduit biomaterials in nerve repair in recent years.
METHODS: Papers regarding application of nerve conduit biomaterials to repair nerve defects published in VIP database between January 2002 and December 2010 were researched by the authors using the keywords of “nerve conduit, biomaterials, nerve injury, nerve repair, nerve regeneration”. Inclusion criteria: papers regarding application of nerve conduit biomaterials in nerve repair. Exclusion criteria: repetitive study and relatively old literature. Finally, 30 papers were included in this study.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The clinical application of non-biodegradable nerve conduits is limited because of their non-absorbability and long-term harmful influence on nerve regeneration. Biodegradable materials can be degraded and adsorbed in vivo, which do not need to be taken out after implantation. However, there is no biodegradable material whose structure is the same as the natural scaffold of nerve. Biological derivative materials have a better biocompatibility and less rejection, and they also provide the extracellular matrix and collagen to be used as scaffolds. However, there is tubular collapse after ischemia, hypoplasia, absorbed scar tissue, hyperplasia, adhesion and so on. The application of nerve conduit biomaterials in nerve repair is promising. However, a class of materials alone is difficult to produce the ideal nerve conduit biomaterials. Combining the advantages of various materials and using neurotrophic factors, extracellular matrix components and Schwann cells to prepare new bioactive conduit biomaterials, will be conducive to the further development of nerve repair.