Wireless bioresorbable electronic system enables sustained nonpharmacological neuroregenerative therapy

Peripheral nerve injuries represent a significant problem in public health, constituting 2-5% of all trauma cases.sup.1. For severe nerve injuries, even advanced forms of clinical intervention often lead to incomplete and unsatisfactory motor and/or sensory function.sup.2. Numerous studies report the potential of pharmacological approaches (for example, growth factors, immunosuppressants) to accelerate and enhance nerve regeneration in rodent models.sup.3-10. Unfortunately, few have had a positive impact in clinical practice. Direct intraoperative electrical stimulation of injured nerve tissue proximal to the site of repair has been demonstrated to enhance and accelerate functional recovery.sup.11,12, suggesting a novel nonpharmacological, bioelectric form of therapy that could complement existing surgical approaches. A significant limitation of this technique is that existing protocols are constrained to intraoperative use and limited therapeutic benefits.sup.13. Herein we introduce (i) a platform for wireless, programmable electrical peripheral nerve stimulation, built with a collection of circuit elements and substrates that are entirely bioresorbable and biocompatible, and (ii) the first reported demonstration of enhanced neuroregeneration and functional recovery in rodent models as a result of multiple episodes of electrical stimulation of injured nervous tissue. A biocompatible device built from naturally dissolving components and controlled by wireless technology enables programmable electrical stimulation of injured rodent peripheral nerves to accelerate regeneration and recovery.
Author(s): Jahyun Koo [sup.1] [sup.2] , Matthew R. MacEwan [sup.3] [sup.4] , Seung-Kyun Kang [sup.5] [sup.6] , Sang Min Won [sup.7] , Manu Stephen [sup.3] , Paul Gamble [sup.3] , [...]