A SHAPE MEMORY NERVE CONDUIT FOR PERIPHERAL NERVE REGENERATION

Nerve repair and regeneration have been a unique clinical challenge for surgeons. In this study, we proposed a smart nerve conduit that can simplify the surgery process and achieve peripheral nerve regeneration by automatic gradual lengthening.To determine the in vivo role of shape-memory nerve conduit for peripheral nerve regeneration, the fabricated conduits were implanted in animal models for 1, 2, and 3 months, respectively. Based on the experimental data, the shape-memory conduit could be used as potential scaffold for peripheral nerve regeneration. Further improvements for satisfactory performance are suggested.