Nadia Rbia1, Liselotte F Bulstra1, Tiam M Saffari1, Steven E R Hovius2, Alexander Y Shin3. 1. Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Division of Hand and Microvascular Surgery, Mayo Clinic, Minnesota, USA; Department of Plastic, Reconstructive and Hand Surgery, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands. 2. Department of Plastic, Reconstructive and Hand Surgery, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands. 3. Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Division of Hand and Microvascular Surgery, Mayo Clinic, Minnesota, USA. Electronic address: shin.alexander@mayo.edu.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: A single-institution case series is reported and a review of the literature on the outcomes of digital nerve gap reconstruction with the NeuraGen type 1 collagen nerve conduit (Integra Life Sciences, Plainsboro New Jersey, USA) and the Avance Nerve Graft (Axogen Inc., Alachua, Florida, USA) is presented. METHODS: Thirty-seven patients were included with a minimal follow-up of 12 months. Primary outcome was postoperative sensory recovery measured by static 2-point discrimination test or the Semmes-Weinstein monofilament test. Secondary outcome measurements were perioperative or postoperative complications. Final outcome data were stratified to grade results as excellent, good, or poor. RESULTS: The mean nerve gap length was 14 ± 4.9 mm for the collagen conduits versus 18.4 ± 9.3 for nerve allografts. After 12 months, outcomes were graded as excellent sensory recovery in 48% of the collagen conduit repairs and 39% of the nerve allografts (P = 0.608), good in 26% of the conduits and 55% of the allografts (P = 0.074), and poor in 26% of the conduits versus 6% of the allografts (P = 0.091). One neuroma and 1 infection were reported. Graft rejection or extrusion was not observed. CONCLUSIONS: Nerve conduits and processed nerve allografts offer convenient off-the-shelf options for digital nerve gap repair. Both techniques offer effective means of reconstructing a digital nerve gap <2.5 cm at a minimum of 12 months of follow-up. Future prospective randomized large sample size studies comparing nerve conduits with allografts are needed to perform subgroup analyses and to define their exact role in digital nerve injuries.
OBJECTIVE: A single-institution case series is reported and a review of the literature on the outcomes of digital nerve gap reconstruction with the NeuraGen type 1 collagen nerve conduit (Integra Life Sciences, Plainsboro New Jersey, USA) and the Avance Nerve Graft (Axogen Inc., Alachua, Florida, USA) is presented. METHODS: Thirty-seven patients were included with a minimal follow-up of 12 months. Primary outcome was postoperative sensory recovery measured by static 2-point discrimination test or the Semmes-Weinstein monofilament test. Secondary outcome measurements were perioperative or postoperative complications. Final outcome data were stratified to grade results as excellent, good, or poor. RESULTS: The mean nerve gap length was 14 ± 4.9 mm for the collagen conduits versus 18.4 ± 9.3 for nerve allografts. After 12 months, outcomes were graded as excellent sensory recovery in 48% of the collagen conduit repairs and 39% of the nerve allografts (P = 0.608), good in 26% of the conduits and 55% of the allografts (P = 0.074), and poor in 26% of the conduits versus 6% of the allografts (P = 0.091). One neuroma and 1 infection were reported. Graft rejection or extrusion was not observed. CONCLUSIONS: Nerve conduits and processed nerve allografts offer convenient off-the-shelf options for digital nerve gap repair. Both techniques offer effective means of reconstructing a digital nerve gap <2.5 cm at a minimum of 12 months of follow-up. Future prospective randomized large sample size studies comparing nerve conduits with allografts are needed to perform subgroup analyses and to define their exact role in digital nerve injuries.
Authors: Adrian Dervan; Antonio Franchi; Francisco R Almeida-Gonzalez; Jennifer K Dowling; Ohemaa B Kwakyi; Claire E McCoy; Fergal J O'Brien; Alan Hibbitts Journal: Pharmaceutics Date: 2021-12-15 Impact factor: 6.321