Chapter 18: Bioactive Glasses for Nerve Regeneration

For short nerve defects, polymeric nerve guidance channels are available for entubulation of the nerve stumps favouring the spontaneous regeneration of peripheral nerves. However, an ideal device has still to be found while the use of autograft or allograft represents the gold standard for long nerve gaps. For this reason, the investigation of new materials and functionalities in the design of nerve guidance channels is still needed. Different bioactive glasses have been proposed in the form of bulk, powders or fibres for the development of nerve regeneration devices. Micro- or nano-sized glass powders are studied in combination with polymers to obtain nerve guides with tailored physical, biological and mechanical properties. Aligned glass fibres, potentially carrying soluble factors, can sustain and direct the axonal re-growth trying to overcome the intrinsic limit of peripheral nerve regeneration over long distances, also showing promising results in the treatment of spinal cord injuries. In addition, the release of suitable ions from the bioactive glasses at appropriate concentrations has been shown to promote angiogenesis and the wound healing process, which are key factors to promote tissue healing. Moreover, the influence of some specific ions on the nerve regeneration process is currently being investigated.