Unmet Need
There are 2 million amputees in the United States, with limb loss attributed to diabetes mellitus, vascular disease, trauma, and malignancy of bone and joints (Amputee Coalition, 2021 and Ziegler-Graham, et al., 2008). Living with an amputation and the adoption of assistive devices like prosthetics can be challenging, with chronic pain especially arising from complications related to nerve tumors, or neuromas, that are extremely painful and cause significant loss of function for the patient by limiting motion and contact in the affected area. Neuroma pain can be treated with a procedure called Targeted Muscle Reinnervation (TMR), which involves remapping and reconnecting transected nerves from the amputation to the nerves of residual muscles to serve as an anchoring point that will inhibit abnormal nerve growth (Souza, et al, 2014). However, the variety of nerve sizes and thicknesses in the body can present a mismatch in the connection during the TMR procedure, further enabling neuroma formation. Therefore, there is a need to address the size discrepancies to reduce the risk of neuroma formation and associated pain.
Technology Overview
Inventors at Johns Hopkins have developed a conduit device that mechanically guides regeneration of tissue between transected nerves and reduces the risk of neuroma formation. Additionally, it features a composite hydrogel lumen to modulate nerve growth while preventing local inflammation.
Stage of Development
Experimental data available.
Publication
N/A
