Nerve Repair summarizes the basic and clinical science pertaining to the repair and regeneration of peripheral nerves. Although these nerves are able to regenerate after injury, functional ...
MoreNerve Repair summarizes the basic and clinical science pertaining to the repair and regeneration of peripheral nerves. Although these nerves are able to regenerate after injury, functional restoration is usually limited. Improving the outcome of nerve repair will require close cooperation between surgeon and scientist. Skyrocketing clinical demands on the surgeon and the rapidly increasing sophistication of neuroscience have interacted to form two distinct cultures. Nerve Repair was written to bridge these cultures by providing a translational review of the clinical and basic science relevant to nerve repair. It provides the clinician with an understanding of pertinent research, and the basic scientist with an overview of the clinical manifestations of nerve injury and regeneration. Nerve Repair is grounded in the history of peripheral nerve surgery and biology, so that modern concepts can be understood in the context of their origins. If there is a dominant theme, it is that neural organization is critical to function. In the periphery, axons must not only regenerate, they must also restore connections with functionally appropriate end organs. In the brain, normal functional patterns will determine the potential for compensation after peripheral miswiring. Given the propensity for axonal misdirection at the site of nerve repair and the constrained flexibility of the brain, enhancing the specificity of nerve regeneration is a critical goal for future research.
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