Tissue engineering of nanosilver-embedded peripheral nerve scaffold to repair nerve defects under contamination conditions.

IntroductionWe employed a nanosilver-collagen scaffold and tested its effects on inhibiting bacteria and facilitating nerve regeneration.MethodsBased on our previous research, we prepared bionic scaffolds with different concentrations of nanosilver and examined their internal structures by scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive spectroscopy. We implanted these scaffolds or autologous nerve grafts into rats to repair a 10-mm injury of the sciatic nerve.ResultsThe 2 mg/ml group showed a >10 mm bacterial inhibition zone in all 3 types of bacterial culture dishes. At day 60 postsurgery, the 2 mg/ml group also showed the highest amplitude of evoked potential (AMP) and nerve conduction velocity (NCV). The regenerating nerves in the 2 mg/ml group were denser and more mature, and with thicker and well-arrayed myelin sheath.ConclusionsThese results demonstrate that nanosilver scaffolds (2 mg/ml group) were effective in inhibiting bacteria both in vitro and in vivo, and reduced the contamination-caused ...