scholarly journals Protocol for a phase I trial of a novel synthetic polymer nerve conduit 'Polynerve' in participants with sensory digital nerve injury (UMANC)

F1000Research ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
pp. 959 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ralph Murphy ◽  
Alessandro Faroni ◽  
Jason Wong ◽  
Adam Reid
Keyword(s):  
Phase I ◽  
Nerve Regeneration ◽  
Treatment Options ◽  
Donor Site ◽  
Sensory Nerve ◽  
Sensory Nerves ◽  
Nerve Conduit ◽  
Nerve Injuries ◽  
Post Surgery ◽  
The Uk

Background: Peripheral nerve injuries are common, with approximately 9,000 cases in the UK annually. Young working individuals are predominantly affected, leading to significant health and social implications. Functional recovery is often poor with impaired hand sensation, reduced motor function and pain and cold intolerance. Where a nerve gap exists, nerve grafting remains the gold-standard treatment but creates a second surgical site, sensory deficit at the donor site, possible neuroma formation and has limited availability. Current commercially available synthetic and resorbable nerve conduit alternatives are reported to be rigid and inflexible. This study will set out to examine the first-in-man use of a new nerve conduit device ‘Polynerve’ to repair small nerve gaps in digital sensory nerves of the hand. Polynerve is a degradable co-polymer of poly-ε-caprolactone and poly-l-lactic acid, which is shaped as a cylinder that has greater tensile strength, flexibility and less acidic degradation compared with current commercially available synthetic nerve conduits. In addition, it has a novel micro-grooved internal lumen that aids Schwann cell ingress and alignment to improve nerve regeneration. Methods: In total, 17 eligible participants will be recruited to undergo repair of a transected sensory nerve of the hand using the Polynerve device. All participants that receive the nerve conduit device will be followed for a period of 12 months post-surgery. The primary endpoint is safety of the device and the secondary endpoint is degree of sensory nerve regeneration through the conduit assessed using standard sensory testing (2-PD, WEST monofilament testing and locognosia). Discussion: The ‘UMANC’ trial is a single-centre UK-based, prospective, unblinded, phase I clinical trial of a novel nerve conduit device. We aim to demonstrate the safety of Polynerve as a synthetic, biodegradable nerve conduit and improve the treatment options available to patients with significant nerve injuries. Registration: Clinicaltrials.gov: NCT02970864; EudraCT: 2016-001667-37.

scholarly journals TrkA inhibitor promotes motor functional regeneration of recurrent laryngeal nerve by suppression of sensory nerve regeneration

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hiroshi Suzuki ◽  
Koji Araki ◽  
Toshiyasu Matsui ◽  
Yuya Tanaka ◽  
Kosuke Uno ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Recurrent Laryngeal Nerve ◽  
Nerve Regeneration ◽  
Vocal Fold ◽  
Compound Muscle Action Potential ◽  
Motor Nerve ◽  
Sensory Nerve ◽  
Laryngeal Nerve ◽  
Sensory Nerves ◽  
Nucleus Ambiguus ◽  
Functional Regeneration

Abstract Recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) injury, in which hoarseness and dysphagia arise as a result of impaired vocal fold movement, is a serious complication. Misdirected regeneration is an issue for functional regeneration. In this study, we demonstrated the effect of TrkA inhibitors, which blocks the NGF-TrkA pathway that acts on the sensory/automatic nerves thus preventing misdirected regeneration among motor and sensory nerves, and thereby promoting the regeneration of motor neurons to achieve functional recovery. RLN axotomy rat models were used in this study, in which cut ends of the nerve were bridged with polyglycolic acid-collagen tube with and without TrkA inhibitor (TrkAi) infiltration. Our study revealed significant improvement in motor nerve fiber regeneration and function, in assessment of vocal fold movement, myelinated nerve regeneration, compound muscle action potential, and prevention of laryngeal muscle atrophy. Retrograde labeling demonstrated fewer labeled neurons in the vagus ganglion, which confirmed reduced misdirected regeneration among motor and sensory fibers, and a change in distribution of the labeled neurons in the nucleus ambiguus. Our study demonstrated that TrkAi have a strong potential for clinical application in the treatment of RLN injury.

scholarly journals Fascicular shifting: a novel technique to overcome large nerve defects

2017 ◽  
Vol 27 (6) ◽  
pp. 723-731
Author(s):  
Maria Hader ◽  
Matthias E. Sporer ◽  
Aidan D. Roche ◽  
Ewald Unger ◽  
Konstantin D. Bergmeister ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Brachial Plexus ◽  
Nerve Regeneration ◽  
Motor Nerve ◽  
Donor Site ◽  
Sensory Nerve ◽  
Negative Control Group ◽  
Negative Control ◽  
Nerve Tissue ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Experimental Group

OBJECTIVEOver the last decade, a number of authors have investigated the utility of different biological and synthetic matrices as alternatives to conventional nerve grafts. However, the autologous nerve graft remains the gold standard, even though it often involves using a pure sensory nerve to reconstruct a mixed or even a pure motor nerve. Furthermore, limited donor sites often necessitate a significant mismatch of needed nerve tissue, especially for large proximal nerve defects such as brachial plexus lesions. Here, the authors present a new technique that overcomes these problems: the fascicular shift procedure (FSP). A fascicular group of the nerve distal to the injury is harvested in a sufficient length to bridge the nerve defect.METHODSThe method of fascicular shifting was tested at the sciatic nerve in 45 Lewis rats. In the experimental group, a 15-mm nerve defect was created and reconstructed with a fascicular group that was harvested directly distal to the gap. This group was compared with 1 negative control group (defect without reconstruction) and 3 positive control groups (sensory, motor, and mixed graft). After 12 weeks of nerve regeneration, outcome was evaluated using retrograde labeling, histomorphometric analysis, and muscle force analysis.RESULTSAll reconstructed groups showed successful regeneration with various levels of function. The negative control group showed minimal force measurements that were of no functional value. The fascicular shift provided sufficient guidance to overcome nerve defects, had higher (p < 0.1) motor neuron counts (1958.75 ± 657.21) than the sensory graft (1263.50 ± 538.90), and was equal to motor grafts (1490.43 ± 794.80) and mixed grafts (1720.00 ± 866.421). This tendency of improved motor regeneration was confirmed in all analyses. The mixed graft group was compared with the experimental group to investigate the influence of the potential damage induced by the fascicular shift distal to the repair site. However, none of the analyses revealed an impairment of nerve regeneration for both the tibial and common peroneal index muscles.CONCLUSIONSThis study demonstrates that harvesting a transplant from the nerve segment distal to the injury site offers a mixed graft without causing additional donor-site morbidity. These grafts perform statistically better than a standard sensory graft in terms of motor recovery. The fascicular shift presents a novel method to reconstruct large proximal nerve defects, making it immensely attractive in brachial plexus reconstruction.

scholarly journals Molecular and cellular correlates of human nerve regeneration: ADCYAP1 encoding PACAP enhances sensory neuron outgrowth

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Annina B Schmid ◽  
Georgios Baskozos ◽  
Katherine Windsor ◽  
Pall Karlsson ◽  
Oliver Sandy-Hindmarch ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Nerve Regeneration ◽  
Sensory Nerve ◽  
Neural Regeneration ◽  
Human Model ◽  
Symptom Improvement ◽  
Decompression Surgery ◽  
Partial Recovery ◽  
Post Surgery ◽  
Human Nerve

AbstractWe only have a rudimentary understanding of the molecular and cellular determinants of human nerve regeneration. Here, we use carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) as a human model system to prospectively evaluate correlates of neural regeneration and their relationship with clinical recovery after decompression surgery. At 6 months post-surgery, we noted a significant improvement of median nerve neurophysiological and somatosensory function. Serial skin biopsies revealed a partial recovery of intraepidermal innervation, whose extent correlated with symptom improvement. In myelinated afferents, nodal length increased postoperatively. Transcriptional profiling of the skin revealed 23 differentially expressed genes following decompression, with ADCYAP1 (encoding PACAP) being the most strongly upregulated and showing an association with regeneration of intraepidermal nerve fibres. Using human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived sensory neurons, we confirmed that PACAP significantly enhances axon outgrowth in vivo. Since PACAP signals through G-protein receptors, this pathway provides an interesting therapeutic target for human sensory nerve regeneration.

scholarly journals The Role of Current Techniques and Concepts in Peripheral Nerve Repair

2016 ◽  
Vol 2016 ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. S. Houschyar ◽  
A. Momeni ◽  
M. N. Pyles ◽  
J. Y. Cha ◽  
Z. N. Maan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Peripheral Nerve ◽  
Nerve Regeneration ◽  
Clinical Application ◽  
Functional Recovery ◽  
Nerve Repair ◽  
Treatment Options ◽  
Peripheral Nerve Injuries ◽  
Nerve Injuries ◽  
Peripheral Nerve Repair

Patients with peripheral nerve injuries, especially severe injury, often face poor nerve regeneration and incomplete functional recovery, even after surgical nerve repair. This review summarizes treatment options of peripheral nerve injuries with current techniques and concepts and reviews developments in research and clinical application of these therapies.

Thyroid Surgery and Nerve Regeneration with Use of a Nerve Conduit

2019 ◽  
Vol 70 (2) ◽  
pp. 129-132
Author(s):  
M. Kurose ◽  
A. Kondoh ◽  
K. Takano ◽  
T. Ohkuni ◽  
K. Obata ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Nerve Regeneration ◽  
Thyroid Surgery ◽  
Nerve Conduit

scholarly journals AGILE: a seamless phase I/IIa platform for the rapid evaluation of candidates for COVID-19 treatment: an update to the structured summary of a study protocol for a randomised platform trial letter

Trials ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Gareth O. Griffiths ◽  
Richard FitzGerald ◽  
Thomas Jaki ◽  
Andrea Corkhill ◽  
Helen Reynolds ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Phase I ◽  
Early Stage ◽  
Late Phase ◽  
Optimum Dose ◽  
Open Label ◽  
Link Type ◽  
Hospitalised Patients ◽  
Volunteer Study ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Phase Trial

Abstract Background There is an urgent unmet clinical need for the identification of novel therapeutics for the treatment of COVID-19. A number of COVID-19 late phase trial platforms have been developed to investigate (often repurposed) drugs both in the UK and globally (e.g. RECOVERY led by the University of Oxford and SOLIDARITY led by WHO). There is a pressing need to investigate novel candidates within early phase trial platforms, from which promising candidates can feed into established later phase platforms. AGILE grew from a UK-wide collaboration to undertake early stage clinical evaluation of candidates for SARS-CoV-2 infection to accelerate national and global healthcare interventions. Methods/design AGILE is a seamless phase I/IIa platform study to establish the optimum dose, determine the activity and safety of each candidate and recommend whether it should be evaluated further. Each candidate is evaluated in its own trial, either as an open label single arm healthy volunteer study or in patients, randomising between candidate and control usually in a 2:1 allocation in favour of the candidate. Each dose is assessed sequentially for safety usually in cohorts of 6 patients. Once a phase II dose has been identified, efficacy is assessed by seamlessly expanding into a larger cohort. AGILE is completely flexible in that the core design in the master protocol can be adapted for each candidate based on prior knowledge of the candidate (i.e. population, primary endpoint and sample size can be amended). This information is detailed in each candidate specific trial protocol of the master protocol. Discussion Few approved treatments for COVID-19 are available such as dexamethasone, remdesivir and tocilizumab in hospitalised patients. The AGILE platform aims to rapidly identify new efficacious and safe treatments to help end the current global COVID-19 pandemic. We currently have three candidate specific trials within this platform study that are open to recruitment. Trial registration EudraCT Number: 2020-001860-27 14 March 2020 ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04746183 19 February 2021 ISRCTN reference: 27106947

scholarly journals QOLP-37. QUALITATIVE RESEARCH IN LOWER GRADE GLIOMA: UNDERSTANDING SIGNS, SYMPTOMS, AND DISEASE IMPACTS DURING EXPECTANT MANAGEMENT

2019 ◽  
Vol 21 (Supplement_6) ◽  
pp. vi206-vi206
Author(s):  
Audra Boscoe ◽  
Ted Wells ◽  
Christina Graham ◽  
Caitlin Pohl ◽  
Brooke Witherspoon ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Treatment Options ◽  
Expectant Management ◽  
Signs And Symptoms ◽  
Molecular Therapy ◽  
Patient Specific ◽  
Lower Grade ◽  
Concept Elicitation ◽  
Post Surgery ◽  
Lower Grade Glioma ◽  
Isocitrate Dehydrogenase Mutation

Abstract BACKGROUND Patients with lower grade glioma (LGG) (i.e., grade II or III) have limited treatment options. After surgical resection of their tumor, patients will undergo either a period of expectant management (watch and wait) or treatment with adjuvant chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy. Approximately 80% of patients with LGG have an isocitrate dehydrogenase mutation, which is a viable target for molecular therapy. This offers a therapeutic intervention that could potentially delay the need for chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy in select patients. Several prognostic and patient-specific factors contribute to the decision to recommend expectant management, including concerns about the side effects of chemotherapy and radiotherapy. The aim of this project was to understand patients’ signs and symptoms during the expectant management period and how LGG impacts their lives. METHODS Concept elicitation interviews were conducted in the US with patients with LGG as well as key opinion leaders (KOLs) with experience treating patients with LGG. Interview data were analyzed using Atlas.ti, and patient data were reviewed against KOL data. RESULTS Seven patients with ≥ 3 months of expectant management experience and three KOLs were interviewed. During their expectant management periods, patients reported 12 signs/symptoms, mostly related to deficits in cognition. Patients reported 16 impacts across four categories, with a substantial proportion of the impacts identified as negatively affecting emotional function. The signs/symptoms and impacts reported by patients were generally also reported by KOLs. During expectant management, patients typically resume their original quality of life post-surgery, but may also experience anxiety. Patients and KOLs indicated a preference for expectant management and delaying chemotherapy or radiotherapy. CONCLUSIONS Patient and KOL interviews characterized the LGG experience and indicated a preference for expectant management, which may be supported by therapies that delay the initiation of chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy.

scholarly journals Primary repair versus surgical and transcatheter palliation in infants with tetralogy of Fallot

Heart ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 104 (22) ◽  
pp. 1864-1870 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dan M Dorobantu ◽  
Alireza S Mahani ◽  
Mansour T A Sharabiani ◽  
Ragini Pandey ◽  
Gianni D Angelini ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Right Ventricular ◽  
Tetralogy Of Fallot ◽  
Primary Repair ◽  
Treatment Options ◽  
Right Ventricular Outflow Tract ◽  
Ventricular Outflow Tract ◽  
Outflow Tract ◽  
Young Infants ◽  
Using Data ◽  
The Uk

ObjectivesTreatment of infants with tetralogy of Fallot (ToF) has evolved in the last two decades with increasing use of primary surgical repair (PrR) and transcatheter right ventricular outflow tract palliation (RVOTd), and fewer systemic-to-pulmonary shunts (SPS). We aim to report contemporary results using these treatment options in a comparative study.MethodsThis a retrospective study using data from the UK National Congenital Heart Disease Audit. All infants (n=1662, median age 181 days) with ToF and no other complex defects undergoing repair or palliation between 2000 and 2013 were considered. Matching algorithms were used to minimise confounding due to lower age and weight in those palliated.ResultsPatients underwent PrR (n=1244), SPS (n=311) or RVOTd (n=107). Mortality at 12 years was higher when repair or palliation was performed before the age of 60 days rather than after, most significantly for primary repair (18.7% vs 2.2%, P<0.001), less so for RVOTd (10.8% vs 0%, P=0.06) or SPS (12.4% vs 8.3%, P=0.2). In the matched groups of patients, RVOTd was associated with more right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT) reinterventions (HR=2.3, P=0.05 vs PrR, HR=7.2, P=0.001 vs SPS) and fewer pulmonary valve replacements (PVR) (HR=0.3 vs PrR, P=0.05) at 12 years, with lower mortality after complete repair (HR=0.2 versus PrR, P=0.09).ConclusionsWe found that RVOTd was associated with more RVOT reinterventions, fewer PVR and fewer deaths when compared with PrR in comparable, young infants, especially so in those under 60 days at the time of the first procedure.

Abstract MP45: Deletion Of The Transient Receptor Vanilloid-1 (TRPV1) Channel In Rats Attenuates 2 Kidney 1 Clip Hypertension

Hypertension ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 78 (Suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sean D Stocker ◽  
Leon J DeLalio
Keyword(s):  
Heart Rate ◽  
Renovascular Hypertension ◽  
Sensory Nerve ◽  
Experimental Models ◽  
Sensory Nerves ◽  
Male Rats ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Renal Nerve ◽  
Trpv1 Channels ◽  
Arterial Blood

Renal denervation lowers arterial blood pressure (ABP) in both clinical populations and multiple experimental models of hypertension. This therapeutic effect is partly attributed to the removal of overactive renal sensory nerves that increase sympathetic efferent activity and ABP. Renal sensory nerves highly express TRPV1 channels, and administration of the TRPV1 agonist capsaicin increases renal sensory nerve activity. However, the extent by which TRPV1 channels directly contribute to renal nerve dependent models of hypertension has not been tested. To test this hypothesis, we generated a novel TRPV1 -/- rat using CRISPR/Cas9 and deletion of exon 3. Male and female TRPV1 -/- and wild-type littermates (8-12 weeks) were instrumented with telemetry. At 2 weeks later, renovascular hypertension via renal stenosis was produced by placement of a PTFE cuff (0.16 x 0.22 inches, 1mm long) around the right renal artery. Male TRPV1 -/- and wild-type rats had no differences in baseline mean ABP (99±2 vs 98±3 mmHg, respectively; n=7-9) or heart rate (390±7 vs 400±8 bpm, respectively). Renal stenosis significantly increased mean ABP in both groups; however, mean ABP was significantly lower at Day 28 in male TRPV1 -/- versus wild-type rats (125±8 vs 155±2 mmHg, respectively: P<0.01). Ganglionic blockade with chlorisondamine (2.5mg/kg, sc) at Day 28 produced a smaller fall in mean ABP of male TRPV1 -/- versus wild-type rats (-53±4 vs -86±3 mmHg, respectively; P<0.001). On the other hand, female TRPV1 -/- and wild-type rats had no differences in baseline mean ABP (102±2 vs 104±1 mmHg, respectively; n=6-9) or heart rate (419±8 vs 410±7 bpm, respectively). Renal stenosis significantly increased mean ABP in both groups; however, there were no differences at Day 28 between female TRPV1 -/- versus wild-type rats (117±8 vs 122±6 mmHg, respectively). Moreover, the increase in mean ABP was smaller in females versus males. The ganglionic blocker chlorisondamine produced similar depressor responses in female TRPV1 -/- versus wild-type rats (-64±7 vs -65±7 mmHg, respectively). These findings illustrate a sex difference in renovascular hypertension in rats, but importantly indicate that TRPV1 channels contribute to the established phase of renovascular hypertension in male rats.

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