Robert J. Spinner, M.D.

Location: Minnesota

Joint Appointment
Neurologic Surgery
Orthopedic Surgery
Academic Rank
Professor of Anatomy
Professor of Neurosurgery
Professor of Orthopedics

Summary

We have developed a multi-channel nerve tube as a possible alternative for peripheral nerve graft repair. The conduit is made of the biomaterial PCLF (poly(caprolactone fumarate), that was also recently invented at the Mayo Clinic and is flexible and easy to suture. Currently the tube is being used to investigate the influence of multi-channel structure on the support of regeneration across larger nerve gaps and improve the accuracy of regeneration by separately guiding groups of regenerating axons. Advantages of the use of nerve tubes versus repair with an autograft (the clinical gold standard) are that there is no donor-site morbidity (pain, sensory abnormality, separate incisions, etc.) and that they can be produced in different sizes/dimensions. The multi-channel nerve tubes are currently being investigated in the rat sciatic nerve model using a new method of functional analysis -- namely applying gait analysis techniques which are being used increasingly in humans to rats (specifically, by measuring the ankle angle through various phases).

This reseach relates to clinical work in the Mayo Clinic interdisciplinary Brachial Plexus Clinic.

Recent publications

See a listing of my publications

Education

Chief Resident – Neurologic Surgery
Mayo School of Graduate Medical Education, College of Medicine, Mayo Clinic

Residency – Neurologic Surgery
Mayo School of Graduate Medical Education, College of Medicine, Mayo Clinic

Fellowship – Peripheral Nerve Surgery (Dr. David Kline)
Louisiana State University Medical Center

Chief Resident – Orthopaedic Surgery
Duke University Medical Center

Residency – Orthopaedic Surgery
Duke University Medical Center

Junior Assistant Resident – General and Thoracic Surgery
Duke University Medical Center

Internship – General and Thoracic Surgery
Duke University Medical Center

Research Fellowship – Orthopaedic Surgery and Traumatology
Prince of Wales Hospital, Hong Kong

M.D. –
Mayo Medical School

MD/PhD Student –
Experimental Pathology, Mayo Graduate School, College of Medicine, Mayo Clinic

MST – Greek and Latin Literature
Christ Church College, University of Oxford

B.S. – Humanities and Science
Massachusetts Institute of Technology

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