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Abstract
Artificial nerve guide conduits have the advantage over autografts in terms of their
availability and ease of fabrication. However, clinical outcomes associated with the
use of artificial nerve conduits are often inferior to that of autografts, particularly
over long lesion gaps. There have been significant advances in the designs of artificial
nerve conduits over the years. In terms of materials selection and design, a wide
variety of new synthetic polymers and biopolymers have been evaluated. The inclusion
of nerve conduit lumen fillers has also been demonstrated as essential to enable nerve
regeneration across large defect gaps. These lumen filler designs have involved the
integration of physical cues for contact guidance and biochemical signals to control
cellular function and differentiation. Novel conduit architectural designs using porous
and fibrous substrates have also been developed. This review highlights the recent
advances in synthetic nerve guide designs for peripheral nerve regeneration, and the
in vivo applicability and future prospects of these nerve guide conduits.
Copyright 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.