Use of tubes in peripheral nerve repair

Various types of tubes for long have been used experimentally to study mech anisms of nerve regeneration. Recently, silicone tubes have been used succe ssfully to repair human ulnar and median nerves. Tubes may be interesting a lternatives to conventional nerve sutures for reconstruction of segmental d efects between nerve ends and for treatment of painful neuromas. Manipulati on of additive cells, factors, and matrices with modern molecular technique s are exciting areas of future research.