Adjustable Fibrous Nerve Conduit with Collapsible Ends
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing nerve conduit technologies face challenges in efficiently promoting nerve regeneration, particularly due to issues with size compatibility and the lack of topographical cues for axon regeneration, as well as the need for a faster and more effective method to join nerve ends, with existing solutions either being too rigid or not providing sufficient support for nerve growth.
Innovation Solution
A fibrous nerve conduit with adjustable diameter and conical ends made from aligned nano-fibers, using a combination of PCL and PLGA polymers, is designed to promote nerve regeneration by providing mechanical strength and allowing for size adjustment, with electro-spinning techniques used to create a conduit that supports nerve growth from proximal to distal ends.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a porous thin-walled bridge conduit is used to join nerve ends, then the nerve ends can be brought closer for joining, but the joining process takes a long period of time and the conduit does not provide sufficient boost in nerve growth
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a porous scaffold material that mimics the extracellular matrix, allowing nerve cells to migrate through the conduit structure. The porous architecture provides mechanical support while facilitating cell infiltration and nerve regeneration, resolving the contradiction between providing structural support and enabling rapid nerve regeneration.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite materials combining biodegradable polymers with conductive elements or growth factor-loaded microcapsules. This composite structure provides both mechanical strength for conduit integrity and biological activity to accelerate nerve regeneration, addressing the time delay in natural nerve joining.
2Reliability
If an artificial nerve conduit of fixed size is used, then it can repair nerves of a particular size, but it cannot accommodate nerves of different sizes and may create dead space
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a collapsible conduit design that can be compressed to fit smaller nerve diameters and expanded to accommodate larger nerves. This dynamic structure eliminates dead space by conforming to the actual nerve size while maintaining structural integrity during the regeneration process.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a nested structure where an inner collapsible tube is surrounded by an outer supportive framework. The inner tube can be collapsed or expanded to match nerve dimensions, while the outer framework provides structural support, enabling size adaptability without compromising mechanical strength.
3Strength
If a conduit with rigid structure is used to provide mechanical strength, then structural support is improved, but the conduit may collapse during surgery or fail to accommodate nerve growth
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a flexible thin-walled structure made from biodegradable polymers that provides sufficient mechanical strength to maintain conduit shape during surgery while allowing collapse prevention through controlled flexibility. The thin-walled design reduces rigidity issues while maintaining structural integrity through optimized material composition.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The conduit effectively supports nerve regeneration by allowing for size adjustment, preventing collapse during surgery, and enhancing mechanical strength, leading to improved axon regeneration and reduced dead space within the conduit, thereby increasing the concentration of growth factors and promoting better nerve repair outcomes.
Implementation Method 1
electro-spinning techniques used to create a conduit that supports nerve growth
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a fibrous nerve conduit for promoting nerve regeneration, comprising a channel, the channel having diameter controllable ends, the channel is adjustable to suturing to a proximal and distal end of a severed nerve, the conduit further comprises a PCL (MW:70KDa) with concentration of 10-15% and PLGA (MW:50KDa,50:50) with concentration of 10-18%.