Development of a Multiple-Lumen Nerve Cuff Utilizing Growth Stimulant Patterns for Controlled Regeneration

Abstract

AbstractSilicone rubber multiple-lumen (ML) nerve cuffs were used for side-by-side comparisons of the effectiveness of two varieties of nerve growth stimulants (collagen gel and a gel mixture of collagen, fibronectin, and laminin) for regenerating cables across a 15 mm gap in 10 adult Sprague-Dawley rats. The filling pattern of the six tubes of the multiple-lumen portion of the cuff alternated with the collagen gel and the gel mixture of collagen, fibronectin, and laminin. After an 8 week implantation period, 53% (32 of 60) of the 0.5 mm diameter lumens displayed successful cable regeneration for both material fillings. The ML cuff experiments demonstrate the ability to bridge a 15 mm gap in the sciatic nerve of the rat by 8 weeks for relatively small diameter conduits in ML cuffs loaded with two varieties of growth stimulants. A more advanced organization including a smaller acellular region fraction and a higher vascularity is seen in the cables from the mixture-filled lumens compared to those in the cables from the collagen-filled lumens.