Autologous Fat in Peripheral Nerve Injury

NCT ID: NCT04653129

Last Updated: 2020-12-07

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

UNKNOWN

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

44 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2021-01-31

Study Completion Date

2023-01-31

Brief Summary

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The aim of this study is to assess the efficacy of autologous fat graft in enhancing peripheral nerve regeneration. The investigators hypothesize that fat grafting will allow for faster and greater recovery of motor and sensory function following surgical repair of injured peripheral nerves.

Detailed Description

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Traumatic injuries to peripheral nerves are a frequent finding after hand trauma. High morbidity after nerve injuries mainly affects the younger and working population, with consequent decrease in life quality and productivity .

Even in direct nerve repair and microsurgical nerve coaptation, regeneration is often suboptimal with incomplete target reinnervation. Suboptimal outcome is attributed to axonal degeneration, fibrotic scar formation, and neuromas at the site of injury.

The use of adipose tissue has become very popular in tissue engineering and reconstructive surgery in recent years. It is proposed as a "regenerative tool" for various tissues, including peripheral nerves, because it offers an effective and minimally invasive procedure for obtaining stem cells.

Unprocessed fat grafting can provide a simple approach to improve peripheral nerve regeneration by means of neoangiogenesis \& inflammatory response modulation. Furthermore, it serves as a good protective barrier in peripheral nerve surgery, reducing fibrosis and adhesions.

A recent study advocated by Tuncel et al, concluded that combined use of autologous fat graft with surgical repair methods induced significantly better regeneration in rats \[3\]. In another study by Kilic et al, using adipose tissue flap in a crush injury model in rats was found to be superior to other groups in myelin thickness, nerve fiber density, axon count, and functional recovery at 4 weeks. They concluded that fat tissue seems to promote nerve regeneration because of its stem cell content.

To our knowledge, no prior studies have examined the use of fat graft in peripheral nerve repair in humans. So, the investigators proposed this clinical study to evaluate the outcomes of primary nerve repair combined with autologous fat graft in peripheral nerve injuries.

Conditions

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Nerve Injury

Keywords

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fat graft autologous fat peripheral nerve injury

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

Primary Study Purpose

TREATMENT

Blinding Strategy

SINGLE

Outcome Assessors
the assessment of outcome measures will be performed by a dedicated surgeon not involved in the surgery or preoperative patient evaluation

Study Groups

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Group (A): Primary nerve repair with autologous fat graft

Standard nerve repair will be performed with 9/0 nylon sutures, under magnification by an operating microscope with autologous fat grafting around site of repair

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Autologous Fat Grafting

Intervention Type PROCEDURE

* The fat grafts will be harvested from the abdomen or lateral thighs in a closed sterile system, then prepared according to Coleman guidelines. The blood and oil layers are then separated from the adipose tissue.
* The lipoaspirate will be injected based on a technique described by Vaienti et al, by 17-gaug cannula which will be inserted through the skin around the main incision at the nerve repair site, and the fat graft will be injected after closure of the skin.

Primary Nerve Repair

Intervention Type PROCEDURE

Standard Epineural nerve repairs will be performed with 9/0 nylon sutures, under magnification by an operating microscope.

Group (B): Standard primary nerve repair

Standard nerve repair will be performed with 9/0 nylon sutures, under magnification by an operating microscope without fat grafting.

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Primary Nerve Repair

Intervention Type PROCEDURE

Standard Epineural nerve repairs will be performed with 9/0 nylon sutures, under magnification by an operating microscope.

Interventions

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Autologous Fat Grafting

* The fat grafts will be harvested from the abdomen or lateral thighs in a closed sterile system, then prepared according to Coleman guidelines. The blood and oil layers are then separated from the adipose tissue.
* The lipoaspirate will be injected based on a technique described by Vaienti et al, by 17-gaug cannula which will be inserted through the skin around the main incision at the nerve repair site, and the fat graft will be injected after closure of the skin.

Intervention Type PROCEDURE

Primary Nerve Repair

Standard Epineural nerve repairs will be performed with 9/0 nylon sutures, under magnification by an operating microscope.

Intervention Type PROCEDURE

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

\- Acute median or ulnar nerve lacerations below elbow

Exclusion Criteria

* Old Nerve lacerations \> 48 hours
* Nerve gap which requires nerve grafting
* Psychosocial issues that would limit participation and compliance
Minimum Eligible Age

16 Years

Maximum Eligible Age

65 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

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Assiut University

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Ahmed ElSayed Sharaf Ahmed

Assistant Lecturer

Responsibility Role PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

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Tarek A El-Gammal, MD

Role: STUDY_DIRECTOR

Assiut University Hospital - Orthopaedics & Traumatology Dept.

Youssef S Hassan, MD

Role: STUDY_CHAIR

Assiut University Hospitals - Plastic Surgery Dept.

Awny M Asklany, MD

Role: STUDY_DIRECTOR

Assiut University Hospitals - Plastic Surgery Dept.

Ahmed S Sharaf, MsC

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Assiut University Hospitals - Plastic Surgery Dept.

Central Contacts

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Ahmed S Sharaf, MsC

Role: CONTACT

Phone: 01090619155

Email: [email protected]

References

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Di Summa PG, Schiraldi L, Cherubino M, Oranges CM, Kalbermatten DF, Raffoul W, Madduri S. Adipose Derived Stem Cells Reduce Fibrosis and Promote Nerve Regeneration in Rats. Anat Rec (Hoboken). 2018 Oct;301(10):1714-1721. doi: 10.1002/ar.23841. Epub 2018 Jul 10.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 29710394 (View on PubMed)

Ngeow WC. Scar less: a review of methods of scar reduction at sites of peripheral nerve repair. Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol Endod. 2010 Mar;109(3):357-66. doi: 10.1016/j.tripleo.2009.06.030.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 20219599 (View on PubMed)

Tuncel U, Kostakoglu N, Turan A, Cevik B, Cayli S, Demir O, Elmas C. The Effect of Autologous Fat Graft with Different Surgical Repair Methods on Nerve Regeneration in a Rat Sciatic Nerve Defect Model. Plast Reconstr Surg. 2015 Dec;136(6):1181-1191. doi: 10.1097/PRS.0000000000001822.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 26273733 (View on PubMed)

Walocko FM, Khouri RK Jr, Urbanchek MG, Levi B, Cederna PS. The potential roles for adipose tissue in peripheral nerve regeneration. Microsurgery. 2016 Jan;36(1):81-8. doi: 10.1002/micr.22480. Epub 2015 Sep 7.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 26773850 (View on PubMed)

Kilic A, Ojo B, Rajfer RA, Konopka G, Hagg D, Jang E, Akelina Y, Mao JJ, Rosenwasser MP, Tang P. Effect of white adipose tissue flap and insulin-like growth factor-1 on nerve regeneration in rats. Microsurgery. 2013 Jul;33(5):367-75. doi: 10.1002/micr.22101. Epub 2013 May 7.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 23653396 (View on PubMed)

Iannace C, Di Libero L, Manetta F, Sciascia V, Pizza A, Napolitano S, Ferraro A, Scetta G, Esposito D, Varriale S, Candela G, Caracciolo F. [Coleman lipofilling: experience of an Italian group and review of the literature]. Chir Ital. 2009 Jan-Feb;61(1):67-75. Italian.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 19391342 (View on PubMed)

Vaienti L, Gazzola R, Villani F, Parodi PC. Perineural fat grafting in the treatment of painful neuromas. Tech Hand Up Extrem Surg. 2012 Mar;16(1):52-5. doi: 10.1097/BTH.0b013e31823cd218.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 22411121 (View on PubMed)

Other Identifiers

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Fat for Nerve Injury

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id