Institute of Fundamental Technological Research

Electrospun nonwovens have recently been successfully applied as a dressing material in spinal neurosurgery. Scarring is known to be one of the major post-operative complications for neurosurgery. If it occurs, it may trap a nerve, so that when a patient moves the nerve becomes stretched, causing nerve damage, pain, and internal scarring of the nerve. This causes subsequent complications related to ingrowths of connective tissue onto the spinal canal. The formation of an astroglial scar is another serious postoperative complication of brain neuro-surgery. The use of bio-absorbable isolative materials as anti-liaison protection and as possible carriers for neuroprotective drug delivery is expected to help in solving such problems. The nanostructured material acts as an anti-bacterial and anti-liaison barrier while enabling transport of oxygen, nutrients, and metabolites, facilitating the healing process of the surgical wound.

Nanofibres for neurosurgery, protection of scar formation