Reconstruction of Critical Nerve Defects Using Allogenic Nerve Tissue: A Review of Current Approaches

Regardless of the nerve defect length, nerve injury is a debilitating condition for the affected patient that results in loss of sensory and motor function. These functional impairments can have a profound impact on the patient's quality of life. Surgical approaches for the treatment of short segment nerve defects are well-established. Autologous nerve transplantation, considered the gold standard, and the use of artificial nerve grafts are safe and successful procedures for short segment nerve defect reconstruction. Long segment nerve defects which extend 3.0 cm or more are more problematic for repair. Methods for reconstruction of long defects are limited. Artificial nerve grafts often fail to regenerate and autologous nerve grafts are limited in length and number. Cadaveric processed/unprocessed nerve allografts are a promising alternative in nerve surgery. This review gives a systematic overview on pre-clinical and clinical approaches in nerve allograft transplantation.