A Multicenter Prospective Randomized Comparison of Conduits Versus Decellularized Nerve Allograft for Digital Nerve Repairs. 2023

Jonathan Isaacs, and Jason A Nydick, and Kenneth R Means, and Gregory A Merrell, and Asif Ilyas, and L Scott Levin, and
Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center, Richmond, VA. Electronic address: Jonathan.isaacs@vcuhealth.org.

While there are advantages and disadvantages to both processed nerve allografts (PNA) and conduits, a large, well-controlled prospective study is needed to compare the efficacy and to delineate how each of these repair tools can be best applied to digital nerve injuries. We hypothesized that PNA digital nerve repairs would achieve superior functional recovery for longer length gaps compared with conduit-based repairs. Patients (aged 18-69 years) presenting with suspected acute or subacute (less than 24 weeks old) digital nerve injuries were recruited to prticipate at 20 medical centers across the United States. After stratification to short (5-14 mm) and long (15-25 mm) gap subgroups, the patients were randomized (1:1) to repair with either a commercially available PNA or collagen conduit. Baseline and outcomes assessments were obtained either before or immediately after surgery and planned at 3-, 6-, 9-, and 12-months after surgery. All assessors and patients were blinded to the treatment arm. In total, 220 patients were enrolled, and 183 patients completed an acceptable last evaluable visit (at least 6 months and not more than 15 months postrepair). At last follow-up, for the short gap repair groups, average static two-point discrimination was 7.3 ± 2.8 mm for PNA and 7.5 ± 3.1 mm for conduit repairs. For the long gap group, average static two-point discrimination was significantly lower at 6.1 ± 3.3 mm for PNA compared with 7.5 ± 2.4 mm for conduit repairs. Normal sensation (American Society for Surgery of the Hand scale) was achieved in 40% of PNA long gap repairs, which was significantly more than the 18% observed in long conduit patients. Long gap conduits had more clinical failures (lack of protective sensation) than short gap conduits. Although supporting similar levels of nerve regeneration for short gap length digital nerve repairs, PNA was clinically superior to conduits for long gap reconstructions. Therapeutic I.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D009416 Nerve Regeneration Renewal or physiological repair of damaged nerve tissue. Nerve Tissue Regeneration,Nervous Tissue Regeneration,Neural Tissue Regeneration,Nerve Tissue Regenerations,Nervous Tissue Regenerations,Neural Tissue Regenerations,Regeneration, Nerve,Regeneration, Nerve Tissue,Regeneration, Nervous Tissue,Regeneration, Neural Tissue,Tissue Regeneration, Nerve,Tissue Regeneration, Nervous,Tissue Regeneration, Neural
D010525 Peripheral Nerves The nerves outside of the brain and spinal cord, including the autonomic, cranial, and spinal nerves. Peripheral nerves contain non-neuronal cells and connective tissue as well as axons. The connective tissue layers include, from the outside to the inside, the epineurium, the perineurium, and the endoneurium. Endoneurium,Epineurium,Perineurium,Endoneuriums,Epineuriums,Nerve, Peripheral,Nerves, Peripheral,Perineuriums,Peripheral Nerve
D011446 Prospective Studies Observation of a population for a sufficient number of persons over a sufficient number of years to generate incidence or mortality rates subsequent to the selection of the study group. Prospective Study,Studies, Prospective,Study, Prospective
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D014184 Transplantation, Homologous Transplantation between individuals of the same species. Usually refers to genetically disparate individuals in contradistinction to isogeneic transplantation for genetically identical individuals. Transplantation, Allogeneic,Allogeneic Grafting,Allogeneic Transplantation,Allografting,Homografting,Homologous Transplantation,Grafting, Allogeneic
D059348 Peripheral Nerve Injuries Injuries to the PERIPHERAL NERVES. Peripheral Nerve Injury,Nerve Injuries, Peripheral,Nerve Injury, Peripheral
D064591 Allografts Tissues, cells, or organs transplanted between genetically different individuals of the same species. Allogeneic Grafts,Allogeneic Transplants,Homografts,Homologous Transplants,Allogeneic Graft,Allogeneic Transplant,Allograft,Graft, Allogeneic,Grafts, Allogeneic,Homograft,Homologous Transplant,Transplant, Allogeneic,Transplant, Homologous,Transplants, Allogeneic,Transplants, Homologous

Related Publications

Jonathan Isaacs, and Jason A Nydick, and Kenneth R Means, and Gregory A Merrell, and Asif Ilyas, and L Scott Levin, and
July 1981, Plastic and reconstructive surgery,
Jonathan Isaacs, and Jason A Nydick, and Kenneth R Means, and Gregory A Merrell, and Asif Ilyas, and L Scott Levin, and
September 2001, Plastic and reconstructive surgery,
Jonathan Isaacs, and Jason A Nydick, and Kenneth R Means, and Gregory A Merrell, and Asif Ilyas, and L Scott Levin, and
October 2000, Plastic and reconstructive surgery,
Jonathan Isaacs, and Jason A Nydick, and Kenneth R Means, and Gregory A Merrell, and Asif Ilyas, and L Scott Levin, and
December 2013, Journal of plastic surgery and hand surgery,
Jonathan Isaacs, and Jason A Nydick, and Kenneth R Means, and Gregory A Merrell, and Asif Ilyas, and L Scott Levin, and
June 2016, Hand (New York, N.Y.),
Jonathan Isaacs, and Jason A Nydick, and Kenneth R Means, and Gregory A Merrell, and Asif Ilyas, and L Scott Levin, and
January 2021, Research and reports in urology,
Jonathan Isaacs, and Jason A Nydick, and Kenneth R Means, and Gregory A Merrell, and Asif Ilyas, and L Scott Levin, and
June 2009, Hand (New York, N.Y.),
Jonathan Isaacs, and Jason A Nydick, and Kenneth R Means, and Gregory A Merrell, and Asif Ilyas, and L Scott Levin, and
October 1972, The Surgical clinics of North America,
Jonathan Isaacs, and Jason A Nydick, and Kenneth R Means, and Gregory A Merrell, and Asif Ilyas, and L Scott Levin, and
November 2009, The Journal of hand surgery,
Jonathan Isaacs, and Jason A Nydick, and Kenneth R Means, and Gregory A Merrell, and Asif Ilyas, and L Scott Levin, and
May 2011, The Journal of hand surgery,
Copied contents to your clipboard!