This book focuses on posttraumatic repair and reconstruction of peripheral nerves. Written by internationally respected specialists, it provides an overview of the challenges and the latest advances in diagnosis and treatment of traumatic peripheral nerve injuries. It presents an outline of state-of the-art procedures from diagnostics, including newest imaging techniques, over conventional and alternative surgical approaches to clinical follow-up and rehabilitation, including the latest concepts to improve functional recovery. The purely clinical topics are preceded by neuroanatomical principles and neurobiological events related to peripheral nerve transection injuries and followed by an outlook on current experimental developments in the area of biomaterials for artificial nerve grafts and peripheral nerve tissue engineering.
Peripheral nerve injuries not only affect the nerve tissue at the site of injury, but also target tissue and parts of the central nervous system. They often have dramatic consequences for patients, including loss of sensory and motor functions combined with paresthesia or pain, and a reduced quality of life and ability to work. An adequate understanding of the procedures for proper decision-making and reconstructing peripheral nerves is therefore essential to ensure optimized functional recovery.
Kirsten Haastert-Talini (KHT) is senior researcher and associate professor at the Institute of Neuroanatomy and Cell Biology at the Hannover Medical School. Her research is focused on peripheral nerve repair and she is evaluating new matrices and scaffolds for peripheral nerve regeneration in combination with neurotrophic factors and transplanted genetically modified supporting cells (in vitro and in vivo studies). In 15 years KHT published more than 45 original articles and 5 review articles in international peer-reviewed journals (represented by an h-index of 17) as well as 4 book chapters. She is an internationally renowned expert for experimental peripheral nerve regeneration research.
Hans Assmus (HA) is neurologist and neurosurgeon with 40 years of professional experience in nerve surgery. After retiring from his active clinical work in 2010 he has continued with publishing. HA has authored and edited 11 books or book chapters (edited books mainly with Springer) and HA has a track record of approximately 50 publications listed in PubMed.
Gregor Antoniadis (GA) is neurosurgeon and associate professor and director of the Peripheral Nerve Surgery Unit at the Neurosurgical Clinic at the University of Ulm. His main focus is on peripheral nerve surgery, vascular neurosurgery, skull base surgery and epilepsy surgery. GA has published more than 70 scientific articles and more than 20 book chapters. Together with HA, GA also edited several books.
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