Porous nerve conduits with either uniform or nonuniform wall porosity were prepared using a particle leaching
method.
The conduits were used to bridge a 10-mm defect in the sciatic nerve of rats (55)
PHBHHx nerve conduits prepared in this study showed satisfactory mechanical strength and biodegradability.
Histological assessment together with transmission electron microscopy showed that the performance of conduits with nonuniform wall porosity was similar to that of nerve autografts in promoting functional recovery, but better
than the conduits with uniform wall porosity.
Thus, PHBHHx-based conduits may represent a promising alternative for peripheral nerve damage repair.