The Oxford Nerve Conduit

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Peripheral Nerve Injury (PNI) refers to damage or crushing of nerves outside of the brain or spinal cord, caused by trauma, surgery or cancer. These nerves are responsible for maintaining muscle control & sensations & their damage leads to loss of sensation, chronic pain & loss of muscle movement, reducing patient's quality of life. When nerves are severed, they require surgical intervention to heal. Over 1/2 million patients undergo surgery for PNI in the EU every year The gold standard treatment "autograft", sacrifices another nerve from the patient to act as a donor, causing further harm. This technique is ineffective over large gaps & cannot assure full recovery, with outcomes generally poor (<50% regaining good to excellent motor or sensory function, and 8-12% requiring revision). Moreover, the mean age of patients suffering from these injuries is 32, many of whom then endure lifelong disability due to this condition. The economic burden for each patient (EU) for acute treatment is estimated to be around €139k.