A research team from Japan Institute of medical science and colleagues from Osaka University have developed a mesh, that can be wrapped around injured peripheral nerves. The mesh contains vitamin B12 and can be used for the regeneration of nerve tissue and for the restoration of their function.
For injuries, that involve the cuts in the peripheral nerves, there are already conducts (just like tiny tubes) which are used to connect the broken ends. However, these tubes do not play any role in nerve healing. Also, they are limited in their application and can only be used for patients who suffer from complete nerve cuts. They cannot be used in cases where there is an injury to the nerve and it is intact (continuous nerve).
How is the Nanofibre mesh made and how does it function?
-Vitamin B12 has been known to facilitate nerve regeneration.
-Oral administration of Vitamin B12 is ineffective and so far, and no medical devices are available to carry vitamin B12 to the injured area.
- It is where the new mesh comes in handy, as this special mesh can be directly wrapped around an injured area.
-The team has successfully created a soft mesh by developing very fine mesh fibers (of several hundred nanometres in diameter) and reducing the crystallinity of fibers.
-The soft mesh contains vitamin B12 and is made of biodegradable plastic. So the mesh when wrapped around the injured nerve, supplies vitamin B12 facilitating the regeneration and will be eliminated from the body in due course of time.
In lab tests, the soft mesh was experimentally tested in rats with injured sciatic nerves. The mesh facilitated the regeneration of axons and recovery of sensory and motor functions in the rat within just six weeks. The team is currently looking for pharmaceutical companies and organizations to study the clinical applications of the medical device for treating peripheral nerve disorders such as Carpel tunnel syndrome (CTS)
The Research study is published in the journal Acta Biomaterilia
No comments:
Post a Comment