Researches on biomechanical properties and models of peripheral nerves - a review

Abstract

The biomechanics of peripheral nerve plays an important role in physiology of the healthy and pathology of the diseased such as the diabetic neuropathy, the cauda equine compression and the carpal tunnel syndrome. The other application is recent development of neural prostheses. The goal of this paper is to review researches done by members of Taiwanese Society of Biomechanics on the biomechanics of peripheral nerves in the past two decades. First, a brief introduction of the anatomy of peripheral nerve is given. Then experiment designs and mechanical models for testing the nerves are presented. The material properties ranged from linear elastic to nonlinear visco-elastic and scales ranged from organ level to tissue level are reviewed. Implications of these studies to clinical problems will be addressed and the challenges and future perspective on biomechanics of peripheral nerve are discussed.