Nerve guidance conduits (NGCs) are tubular tissue engineering scaffolds used for nerve regeneration. The poor mechanical properties and porosity have always compromised their performances for guiding and supporting axonal growth. Therefore, in order to improve the properties of NGCs, the computational design approach was adopted to investigate the effects of different NGC structural features on their various properties, and finally, design an ideal NGC with mechanical properties matching human nerves and high porosity and permeability. Three common NGC designs, namely hollow luminal, multichannel, and microgrooved, were chosen in this study. Simulations were conducted to study the mechanical properties and permeability. The results show that pore size is the most influential structural feature for NGC tensile modulus. Multichannel NGCs have higher mechanical strength but lower permeability compared to other designs. Square pores lead to higher permeability but lower mechanical strength than circular pores. The study finally selected an optimized hollow luminal NGC with a porosity of 71% and a tensile modulus of 8 MPa to achieve multiple design requirements. The use of computational design and optimization was shown to be promising in future NGC design and nerve tissue engineering research.
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Computational Design and Optimization of Nerve Guidance Conduits for Improved Mechanical Properties and Permeability
Shuo Zhang,
Shuo Zhang
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
National University of Singapore,
9 Engineering Drive 1,
Singapore 117576
National University of Singapore,
9 Engineering Drive 1,
Singapore 117576
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Sanjairaj Vijayavenkataraman,
Sanjairaj Vijayavenkataraman
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
National University of Singapore,
9 Engineering Drive 1,
Singapore 117576
e-mail: vijayavenkataraman@u.nus.edu
National University of Singapore,
9 Engineering Drive 1,
Singapore 117576
e-mail: vijayavenkataraman@u.nus.edu
1Corresponding author.
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Geng Liang Chong,
Geng Liang Chong
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
National University of Singapore,
9 Engineering Drive 1,
Singapore 117576
National University of Singapore,
9 Engineering Drive 1,
Singapore 117576
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Jerry Ying Hsi Fuh,
Jerry Ying Hsi Fuh
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
National University of Singapore,
9 Engineering Drive 1,
Singapore 117576
National University of Singapore,
9 Engineering Drive 1,
Singapore 117576
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Wen Feng Lu
Wen Feng Lu
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
National University of Singapore,
9 Engineering Drive 1,
Singapore 117576
National University of Singapore,
9 Engineering Drive 1,
Singapore 117576
Search for other works by this author on:
Shuo Zhang
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
National University of Singapore,
9 Engineering Drive 1,
Singapore 117576
National University of Singapore,
9 Engineering Drive 1,
Singapore 117576
Sanjairaj Vijayavenkataraman
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
National University of Singapore,
9 Engineering Drive 1,
Singapore 117576
e-mail: vijayavenkataraman@u.nus.edu
National University of Singapore,
9 Engineering Drive 1,
Singapore 117576
e-mail: vijayavenkataraman@u.nus.edu
Geng Liang Chong
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
National University of Singapore,
9 Engineering Drive 1,
Singapore 117576
National University of Singapore,
9 Engineering Drive 1,
Singapore 117576
Jerry Ying Hsi Fuh
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
National University of Singapore,
9 Engineering Drive 1,
Singapore 117576
National University of Singapore,
9 Engineering Drive 1,
Singapore 117576
Wen Feng Lu
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
National University of Singapore,
9 Engineering Drive 1,
Singapore 117576
National University of Singapore,
9 Engineering Drive 1,
Singapore 117576
1Corresponding author.
Manuscript received July 31, 2018; final manuscript received February 20, 2019; published online March 25, 2019. Assoc. Editor: Brittany Coats.
J Biomech Eng. May 2019, 141(5): 051007 (8 pages)
Published Online: March 25, 2019
Article history
Received:
July 31, 2018
Revised:
February 20, 2019
Citation
Zhang, S., Vijayavenkataraman, S., Chong, G. L., Fuh, J. Y. H., and Lu, W. F. (March 25, 2019). "Computational Design and Optimization of Nerve Guidance Conduits for Improved Mechanical Properties and Permeability." ASME. J Biomech Eng. May 2019; 141(5): 051007. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4043036
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