Earlier functional recovery with an amniochorionic membrane allograft nerve wrap after in-continuity stretch injury in rat median nerves
Introduction - We investigated the use of an amniochorionic membrane allograft wrap (ACMShield) for treating epineuroclasis stretch injuries in rat median nerves. Epineuroclasis refers to in-continuity injuries with a disrupted epineurium, identified via load-deformation-curves. - Methods - Twenty r...
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| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article (Journal) |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
June 2026
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| In: |
Journal of plastic, reconstructive & aesthetic surgery
Year: 2026, Volume: 117, Pages: 18-25 |
| ISSN: | 1878-0539 |
| DOI: | 10.1016/j.bjps.2026.03.045 |
| Online Access: | Verlag, kostenfrei, Volltext: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bjps.2026.03.045 Verlag, kostenfrei, Volltext: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1748681526001920 
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| Author Notes: | Christoph A. Schroen, Claudia Siniakowicz, Philip Nasser, Michael R. Hausman, Paul J. Cagle |
| Summary: | Introduction - We investigated the use of an amniochorionic membrane allograft wrap (ACMShield) for treating epineuroclasis stretch injuries in rat median nerves. Epineuroclasis refers to in-continuity injuries with a disrupted epineurium, identified via load-deformation-curves. - Methods - Twenty rats were randomized into three groups: untreated epineuroclasis (n=8), ACMShield-treated epineuroclasis (n=6), and sham-control surgery without injury (n=6). In untreated and ACMShield-treated rats, bilateral median nerves were stretched with a hook until epineuroclasis was observed on load-deformation curves. In treated rats, the ACMShield was wrapped around both the injured nerves. Forepaw grip strength was assessed via the grasping test pre-injury and at 1, 3, 6, and 9 weeks post-injury. Data were normalized to baseline and analyzed using mixed-effects models. Recovery was defined as reaching a statistically non-significant difference in strength compared to pre-injury baseline strength (p>0.05). - Results - Both injury groups lost grip strength at 1 week with 2.0±0.7% of baseline strength for the treated and 3.3±3.4% for untreated rats (p<0.001). The ACMShield group achieved strength with no statistically detectable difference to baseline at 6 weeks (100.8±34.6%, p>0.99) and this was sustained for 9 weeks (104.5±33.5%). Untreated rats achieved this at 9 weeks with 80.9±29.9% of baseline strength (p=0.34). No difference in percent-of-baseline grip strength was observed between the ACMShield and untreated groups at any postoperative time point. - Conclusion - In this pilot study, ACMShield-treated nerves returned to baseline-like grip strength by 6 weeks, whereas untreated nerves returned by 9 weeks. However, between-group comparisons at individual timepoints were not statistically significant; therefore, these findings should be interpreted as exploratory. |
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| Item Description: | Gesehen am 03.08.2026 |
| Physical Description: | Online Resource |
| ISSN: | 1878-0539 |
| DOI: | 10.1016/j.bjps.2026.03.045 |