A model of acute compressive spinal cord injury with a minimally invasive balloon in goats.

Research into spinal cord injury depends upon animal models of trauma. While investigations using small animals have yielded critical insights into the cellular mechanisms of neurotrauma, no effective therapies have been translated to human clinical treatments. There are considerable differences in pathophysiology, scale, and anatomical organization between rodents and primates.

Semi-interpenetrating network of polyethylene glycol and photocrosslinkable chitosan as an in-situ-forming nerve adhesive.

An ideal adhesive for anastomosis of severed peripheral nerves should tolerate strains imposed on rejoined nerves. We use blends of photocrosslinkable 4-azidobenzoic acid-modified chitosan (Az-C) and polyethylene glycol (PEG) as a new in-situ-forming bioadhesive for anastomosing and stabilizing the injured nerves. Cryo-scanning electron microscopy suggests that the polymer blends form a semi-interpenetrating network (semi-IPN), where PEG interpenetrates the Az-C network and reinforces it.

Acrolein-mediated injury in nervous system trauma and diseases.

Acrolein, an α,β-unsaturated aldehyde, is a ubiquitous pollutant that is also produced endogenously through lipid peroxidation. This compound is hundreds of times more reactive than other aldehydes such as 4-hydroxynonenal, is produced at much higher concentrations, and persists in solution for much longer than better known free radicals. It has been implicated in disease states known to involve chronic oxidative stress, particularly spinal cord injury and multiple sclerosis.

Rapidly photo-cross-linkable chitosan hydrogel for peripheral neurosurgeries.

Restoring continuity to severed peripheral nerves is crucial to regeneration and enables functional recovery. However, the two most common agents for coaptation, sutures and fibrin glues, have drawbacks such as inflammation, pathogenesis, and dehiscence. Chitosan-based adhesives are a promising alternative, reported to have good cytocompatibility and favorable immunogenicity.

Functional and mechanical evaluation of nerve stretch injury.

Peripheral nerves undergo tensile loading in common physiological conditions, but stretch can also induce nerve pathology, impairing electrophysiological conduction. The level of strain nerves can tolerate and the functional deficits which result from exceeding this threshold are not thoroughly understood. To examine these phenomena, a novel system for tensile electrophysiology was created using a grease gap-recording chamber paired with a computerized micromanipulator and load cell.

Biomimetic nerve scaffolds with aligned intraluminal microchannels: a "sweet" approach to tissue engineering.

In this paper, we outline a method for the fabrication of biomimetic hollow fiber and hollow fiber bundles with high aspect ratios. The manufacturing process utilizes a melt spinning technique with caramelized sucrose as a core template. Encapsulation of the sucrose with a thin layer of degradable polymer and selective dissolution of the sucrose core produced tubes and tube aggregates with geometries similar to biologic analogs.

Ethyl-cyanoacrylate is acutely nontoxic and provides sufficient bond strength for anastomosis of peripheral nerves.

Anastomosis is a common technique for the union of severed nerve trunks. This is commonly performed with sutures, a process that can be both time consuming and injurious to tissue. One promising alternative to suturing is the use of adhesives to join the severed segments.