Three-dimensional conductive constructs for nerve regeneration

✍ Scribed by Paul M. George; Rajiv Saigal; Michael W. Lawlor; Michael J. Moore; David A. LaVan; Robert P. Marini; Martin Selig; Melvin Makhni; Jason A. Burdick; Robert Langer; Daniel S. Kohane

• Book ID: 102873564
• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 2009
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 766 KB
• Volume: 91A
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 1549-3296
• DOI: 10.1002/jbm.a.32226

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

The unique electrochemical properties of conductive polymers can be utilized to form stand‐alone polymeric tubes and arrays of tubes that are suitable for guides to promote peripheral nerve regeneration. Noncomposite, polypyrrole (PPy) tubes ranging in inner diameter from 25 μm to 1.6 mm as well as multichannel tubes were fabricated by electrodeposition. While oxidation of the pyrrole monomer causes growth of the film, brief subsequent reduction allowed mechanical dissociation from the electrode mold, creating a stand‐alone, conductive PPy tube. Conductive polymer nerve guides made in this manner were placed in transected rat sciatic nerves and shown to support nerve regeneration over an 8‐week time period. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res, 2009