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AssigneeWake Forest University Health Sciences
InventorsWilliam D. Wagner, Nicole Levi, Tabitha Rosenbalm, Louis C. Argenta, Michael J. Morykwas
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A biphasic material and devices comprising the same are provided for the development of conductive conduits that may be used for the treatment of peripheral nerve injury. These devices or conduits are designed such that repeated electric field gradients can be initiated to promote neurite and axonal outgrowth. Conducting conduits using doped synthetic and/or natural polymers create specifically patterned high and low conducting segmented materials, which are mechanically used to produce the electrical properties needed for nerve conduits. These electrical properties stimulate neurite outgrowth and axonal repair following a peripheral nerve transection.
A biphasic material, comprising at least two first segments and at least two second segments, the first segments comprising a doped conductive polymer having a first polymer component doped with a non-metal component which increases the conductivity of the first polymer component, and the second segments comprising a second conductive polymer component, wherein the at least two first segments are disposed in contact with the at least two second segments, in alternating fashion, to provide the biphasic material with repeating alternating first and second polymer components.
An open-ended, hollow tube configured to support a plurality of electric field gradients along its length and having a lumen extending therethrough to permit the growth of nerve tissue therein, the tube comprising a plurality of first conductive tubular segments and a plurality of second conductive tubular segments adjoined along a common axis of the tube to provide the lumen along the common axis, the first conductive tubular segments comprising a first polymer component doped with a non-metal component which increases the conductivity of the first polymer component, and the second tubular segments comprising a second conductive polymer component.
A method of making a tube configured to support a plurality of electric field gradients along its length, comprising:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.