Nerves are specialized bundles of tissue that transmit signals throughout the body. Nerve injury is a relatively common condition...
Nerve Allograft
Evolution of Nerve Allograft
A nerve allograft (a graft from a donor) may be used from a living or dead donor. If the allograft is inserted fresh, with all the nerve cells intact, the patient, like an organ recipient, will often have to be on medication that reduces the activity of the immune system. Otherwise, the patient’s immune cells will attack and destroy the foreign tissue of the allograft.
These medications often have severe side effects and increase the risks of serious infections. However, if the allograft is prepared in a way that removes the cells but preserves the connective tissue structure, the immune system will not attack. The connective tissue structure then provides a scaffold for the nerve cells to regenerate and grow beyond the gap.
Technology Spotlight
Avance Nerve Allograft
Avance nerve allograft (AxoGen) is a human nerve allograft that is processed to remove cells while preserving the connective tissue structure. The tissue structure of human nerve is retained throughout processing, so recovering nerve is able to regenerate across existing structural elements.
Avance allografts are used in nerve repair to bridge a gap when direct repair is not possible, or when there is tension when the cut ends are approximated. They are available in various lengths and diameters to conform to various gap lengths and injured nerve sizes.
Related Topics
The method of nerve repair also depends on the type of injury and the amount of nerve that is...
