Background: Peripheral nerve pathology is frequently encountered in clinical practice among peripheral nerve and extremity surgeons. One major factor limiting nerve regeneration and possibly leading to revision surgeries is the development of traumatic or postoperative adhesions and scarring around nerves. In experimental models, different materials have been studied to limit scar tissue formation when wrapped around nerves.
Methods: A systematic review of studies describing nerve-wrapping materials in a non-transectional rat sciatic nerve model was performed following the PRISMA guidelines. Literature describing nerve-wrapping methods for the prevention of peripheral nerve scarring in rat sciatic nerve models was identified using PubMed and Web of Science, scanned for relevance and analyzed.
Results: A total of 15 original articles describing 23 different materials or material combinations for nerve wrapping were included. The heterogeneity of the methods used did not allow a meta-analysis, thus, a systematic review was performed. Out of 28 intervention groups, 21 demonstrated a preventive effect on scar tissue formation in at least one qualitative or quantitative assessment method.
Conclusions: The analyzed literature describes a variety of materials from different origins to limit peripheral nerve scarring and adhesions. Thus, a scar-preventive effect by wrapping peripheral nerves as adhesion prophylaxis seems likely. However, a quantitative comparison of the studies to identify the optimal material or technique is not possible with the diversity of used models and study designs. Therefore, further research needs to be performed to identify the optimal nerve wraps to be used routinely in clinical practice.
Keywords: biomaterials; microsurgery; nerve adhesions; nerve regeneration; nerve scarring; peripheral nerve injuries.