Polycaprolactone/multi-walled carbon nanotube nerve guidance conduits with tunable channels fabricated via novel extrusion-stretching method for peripheral nerve repair

• Published in: International journal of polymeric materials Vol. 73; no. 8; pp. 661 - 669
• Main Authors: Zhang, Longfei, Sun, Renyuan, Wang, Baolin, Lang, Yuna, Chang, Ming-Wei
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Philadelphia Taylor & Francis 23.05.2024; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: Biocompatibility; Channels; Extrusion; Extrusion-stretching method; Mechanical properties; Multi wall carbon nanotubes; multi-channels; MWCNTs; nerve guidance conduits; Nerve guides; peripheral nerve repair; Peripheral nerves; Polycaprolactone; Stretching
• ISSN: 0091-4037; 1563-535X
• DOI: 10.1080/00914037.2023.2196626

Multi-channeled nerve guidance conduit is a prospective way to repair peripheral nerve injury, which is still difficult to be fabricated. A novel extrusion-stretching method was utilized in this study to produce multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) loaded multi-channeled nerve conduits with improved flexibility and versatility. The channels and geography of the conduits were tunable. The results showed that the mechanical properties of the multi-channeled nerve conduits were suitable for peripheral nerve restoration. MWCNTs increased the biocompatibility of the multi-channeled nerve conduits. This study proved that the MWCNTs loaded multi-channeled produced by extrusion-stretching method have great potential to repair peripheral nerve injury.