Bridging peripheral nerve gaps with conduits for enhanced nerve regeneration
Inventors
Woods, Alexander • PLOWRIGHT, Robyn • VOLLRATH, Friedrich
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-12544073-B2
Publication Date
2026-02-10
Expiration Date
Abstract
Disclosed herein are compositions comprising containers and silk elements. Disclosed herein are methods of regenerating an at least partially severed nerve cell. Disclosed herein are compositions for regenerating an at least partially severed nerve cell.
Core Innovation
The document describes methods for severed nerve cell and nerve injury treatment that provide a multi-level bundled silk construct for peripheral nerve regeneration. The method includes providing silk elements, at least partially individually coating silk elements and higher-order bundles with hydrophilic coatings, and bundling them into a bundle of bundles and a bundle of bundles of bundles.
The core approach emphasizes hierarchical bundling combined with hydrophilic coatings applied at multiple structural levels to hold and retain the silk architectures within the sheath lumen. The resulting bundle of bundles of bundles is placed at least partially within a lumen of a sheath.
The document also states that the hydrophilically coated, hierarchical bundle construct is used to treat a nerve injury by implantation into a subject. The described constructs are associated with functional and electrophysiological assessment approaches in the context of nerve repair outcomes.
Claims Coverage
The partial content includes two independent claims. Both independent claims focus on a hierarchical silk bundle construct formed from silk elements that is retained by hydrophilic coatings and then placed into a sheath lumen, with four coating levels across nested bundle levels.
Multi-level hydrophilically coated silk bundles placed in a sheath lumen
providing a first plurality of silk elements and a second plurality of silk elements, wherein at least one individual silk element in each plurality is at least partially individually coated with a first hydrophilic coating; at least partially coating the first plurality to create a first bundle and the second plurality to create a second bundle with a second hydrophilic coating; bundling the first bundle and the second bundle into a bundle of bundles, and at least partially coating the bundle of bundles with a third hydrophilic coating; bundling at least two bundle of bundles into a bundle of bundles of bundles, wherein the bundle of bundles of bundles is at least partially coated with a fourth hydrophilic coating; and placing the bundle of bundles of bundles at least partially within a lumen of a sheath.
Hierarchical silk bundle-of-bundles-of-bundles retained by hydrophilic coatings in a sheath lumen
placing a bundle of bundles of bundles of silk elements into a lumen of a sheath, wherein the bundle comprises at least two bundles of bundles, wherein each of the at least two bundles comprises at least two bundles of silk elements; each individual silk element comprises a first hydrophilic coating at least partially around the individual silk element; each bundle of silk elements comprises a second hydrophilic coating around each bundle of silk elements which holds in place each bundle of silk elements; each bundle of bundles comprises a third hydrophilic coating around each bundle of bundles which holds in place each bundle of bundles; and the bundle of bundles of bundles comprises a fourth hydrophilic coating around the bundle of bundles of bundles which holds in place the bundle of bundles of bundles.
Across both independent claims, the core claim coverage is directed to hierarchical silk bundling together with hydrophilic coatings applied at multiple levels to hold and retain the structure, followed by placement of the bundle configuration into a sheath lumen.
Stated Advantages
Not explicitly described in patent.
Documented Applications
Peripheral nerve regeneration.
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