Usability of Nerve Tape: A Novel Sutureless Nerve Coaptation Device. 2024

Kyle R Eberlin, and Bauback Safa, and Rudy Buntic, and Mark S Rekant, and Marc J Richard, and Joseph F Styron, and Geetanjali Bendale, and Jonathan Isaacs
Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA. Electronic address: keberlin@mgh.harvard.edu.

OBJECTIVE Microsuture neurorrhaphy is technically challenging and has inherent drawbacks. This study evaluated the potential of a novel, sutureless nerve coaptation device to improve efficiency and precision. METHODS Twelve surgeons participated in this study-six attending hand/microsurgeons and six trainees (orthopedic and plastic surgery residents or hand surgery fellows). Twenty-four cadaver arm specimens were used, and nerve repairs were performed at six sites in each specimen-the median and ulnar nerves in the proximal forearm, the median and ulnar nerves in the distal forearm, and the common digital nerves to the second and third web spaces. Each study participant performed nerve repairs at all six injury locations in two different cadaver arms (n = 12 total repairs for each participating surgeon). The nerve repairs were timed, tested for tensile strength, and graded for alignment and technical repair quality. RESULTS A substantial reduction in time was required to perform repairs with the novel coaptation device (1.6 ± 0.8 minutes) compared with microsuture (7.2 ± 3.6 minutes). Device repairs were judged clinically acceptable (scoring "Excellent" or "Good" by most of the expert panel) in 97% of the repairs; the percentage of suture repairs receiving Excellent/Good scores by most of the expert panel was 69.4% for attending surgeons and 36.1% for trainees. The device repairs exhibited a higher average peak tensile force (7.0 ± 3.6 N) compared with suture repairs (2.6 ± 1.6 N). CONCLUSIONS Nerve repairs performed with a novel repair device were performed faster and with higher technical precision than those performed using microsutures. Device repairs had substantially greater tensile strength than microsuture repairs. CONCLUSIONS The evaluated novel nerve repair device may improve surgical efficiency and nerve repair quality.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
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
D002102 Cadaver A dead body, usually a human body. Corpse,Cadavers,Corpses
D006225 Hand The distal part of the arm beyond the wrist in humans and primates, that includes the palm, fingers, and thumb. Hands
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D001132 Arm The superior part of the upper extremity between the SHOULDER and the ELBOW. Brachium,Upper Arm,Arm, Upper,Arms,Arms, Upper,Brachiums,Upper Arms
D013536 Suture Techniques Techniques for securing together the edges of a wound, with loops of thread or similar materials (SUTURES). Suture Technics,Suture Technic,Suture Technique,Technic, Suture,Technics, Suture,Technique, Suture,Techniques, Suture
D014459 Ulnar Nerve A major nerve of the upper extremity. In humans, the fibers of the ulnar nerve originate in the lower cervical and upper thoracic spinal cord (usually C7 to T1), travel via the medial cord of the brachial plexus, and supply sensory and motor innervation to parts of the hand and forearm. Nerve, Ulnar,Nerves, Ulnar,Ulnar Nerves

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