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Peripheral nerve injury: a review and approach to tissue engineered constructs
1Division of Plastic Surgery, The University of California, Irvine, Orange, CA 92868, USA. Gevans@uci.edu
The Anatomical Record
|August 14, 2001
Summary
Paralysis affects 11,000 Americans annually, with no current effective treatments for central nervous system damage. Peripheral nerve injuries are more common, with over 50,000 repairs in 1995, highlighting a significant unmet medical need.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Neurosurgery
- Medical Statistics
Background:
- Paralysis impacts 11,000 Americans yearly, incurring $7 billion in costs.
- Central nervous system (CNS) injuries, like spinal cord injuries, currently lack effective treatments.
- Peripheral nerve damage is more prevalent than CNS injuries, with over 50,000 repair procedures in 1995.
Purpose of the Study:
- To highlight the significant incidence and cost of paralysis and nerve injuries.
- To underscore the lack of effective treatments for CNS damage.
- To provide context on the prevalence of peripheral nerve injuries and related complications.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of national statistics on paralysis and nerve repair procedures.
- Review of medical literature on treatment outcomes for nerve injuries.
- Examination of specific case studies, such as impotency rates after prostatectomy.
Main Results:
- Over 50,000 peripheral nerve repair procedures were performed in 1995.
- Radical prostatectomy can lead to impotency in a significant percentage of men (42%), which decreases to 24% when nerves are preserved.
- The data likely underestimate the true incidence of nerve injuries.
Conclusions:
- There is a substantial burden of paralysis and nerve injuries in the US.
- Current treatments for CNS damage are ineffective.
- Minimally invasive surgical techniques and nerve preservation are crucial for improving outcomes in peripheral nerve repair.
