Biodegradable ۳D-Printed Nerve Conduits for Repairing Peripheral Nerve Defects

Background: Peripheral nerve injuries are a significant clinical challenge that can result in the loss of sensory and motor function in the affected limbs. Common treatments, such as direct anastomosis or autografts, despite their efficacy, have limitations including limited donor tissue, the risk of neuroma formation, and complications following secondary surgery. In recent years, nerve guidance conduits (NGCs) have been considered an effective alternative to nerve grafting. In this study, ۳D nanofibrous scaffolds composed of polycaprolactone–polyglycerol sebacate (PCL–PGS) and polyethylene glycol diacrylate (PEGDA) were fabricated using digital light processing (DLP) ۳D printing and used as nerve conduits to repair the sciatic nerve in rabbits. Methods: After preparing the conduits and creating a ۱-cm sciatic nerve defect, three treatment groups were established (n = ۵): control (no conduit), nanofiber conduit with ۳D walls, and nanofiber conduit without ۳D walls. Results: At ۱۲ weeks, both conduit groups showed improved nerve tissue repair in the central region of the conduit, proper and orderly alignment in the sciatic nerve, and a higher axon count in the distal portion compared with the control group. Correspondingly, behavioral, electromyographic, and histopathological analyses indicated that the ۳D PCL–PGS conduit combined with the nanofibrous scaffold resulted in significantly enhanced nerve conduction and structural regeneration compared with the other groups. Conclusion: The overall results indicate that biodegradable ۳D nanofibrous conduits may represent an effective and biocompatible strategy for peripheral nerve repair, particularly in medium-gap nerve transections.

کلیدواژه ها:

Polycaprolactone ، Polyglycerol Sebacate ، Nerve Guidance Conduits ، Peripheral Nerve Injuries ، Rabbits