LAUSR

OBJECTIVE Autologous nerve transplantation is accepted as the clinical gold standard for reconstruction of peripheral nerve defects. A high number of bioengineered nerve guides as an alternative to the autologous nerve transplantation has been described in previous studies and several different types are commercially available. The implementation of these devices in the clinical setting is the most important step to proof their applicability in reconstructive nerve surgery. PATIENTS AND METHODS We examined in a single- blinded randomized controlled prospective study 34 patients undergoing diagnostic nerve biopsy (2 cm). The biopsy-induced nerve gap was interposed using a segment of the lesser saphenous vein in 16 patients. 18 patients had no nerve reconstruction as control group. Further 10 participants were included as healthy cohort. Nerve regeneration was assessed using von Frey filaments preoperatively and 1 day, 3, 6, 9 and 12 months postoperatively. RESULTS The result of this study revealed that patients, who received a defect bridging of the sural nerve with a venous graft, showed a better regeneration of the lateral foot sensitivity than patients without venous graft. CONCLUSION The distal sural nerve biopsy model can serve as a preliminary nature of the injuries or baseline nerve lesion model. In a subsequent step, newly developed nerve guides could be tested in more unpredictable and challenging clinical peripheral nerve lesions.