Mechanical, topographical and chemical cues combined with physical therapy for peripheral nerve injuries

Aim: The aim of this paper is to evaluate biomaterial cues combined with physical therapy (PT) on functional recovery in a rat sciatic nerve injury model. Materials & methods: Nerve growth conduits were filled with longitudinally aligned hyaluronic acid fibers and microspheres containing neurotrophic factor (growth factor [GF]). All animals received behavior and functional testing throughout the study, which concluded with measurement of compound muscle action potentials and contractile force of the gastrocnemius muscle. Results & conclusion: Including GF improved recovery of gross motor function and increased sensory pain sensation. During the 4 weeks that animals participated in PT, these groups showed higher static sciatic index scores. Including GF and PT has the potential to improve clinical outcomes following peripheral nerve injury.