Surgeons Turn to Spider Silk to Repair Nerve Injuries

Golden orb-web spider silk may help nerves regrow across injuries without grafts, offering a promising new surgical solution.

Published on Feb. 27, 2026

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Researchers at Newrotex, a start-up co-founded by Dr. Alex Woods, an NHS trauma and orthopedic surgeon, are exploring the use of golden orb-web spider silk as a scaffold to guide nerve regeneration in patients with severe nerve injuries. Unlike the body's own temporary nerve scaffold, which only lasts about 10 days, the spider silk can last up to 150 days, allowing nerves more time to regrow across larger gaps. This could eliminate the need for nerve grafts, which require a second surgery site and can leave lasting numbness. The device is currently undergoing its first-in-human study in Panama, with further studies planned in the UK and US.

Why it matters

Nerve injuries, whether from trauma or as an unintended consequence of surgeries like mastectomies or prostate cancer procedures, can be difficult to treat and have long-lasting effects. The spider silk-based device offers a potential solution that could improve patient outcomes and reduce healthcare costs by eliminating the need for nerve grafts and second surgery sites.

The details

The key to the spider silk-based device is the use of drag-line silk, which the golden orb-web spiders use to dangle and anchor themselves. This silk behaves like the body's own nerve scaffold, except it lasts for up to 150 days, much longer than the 10-day lifespan of the body's natural scaffold. Researchers plan to implant these silk fibers inside a vein or hollow conduit, allowing them to serve as a longer-lasting guide for nerve regeneration. Over time, the fibers will degrade in the body, eliminating the need for a permanent implant.

  • The first-in-human study of the spider silk-based device is currently underway in a hospital in Panama.
  • Further studies are planned in the UK and US following the completion of the Panama trial.

The players

Newrotex

A start-up co-founded by Dr. Alex Woods, an NHS trauma and orthopedic surgeon, that is exploring the use of spider silk to repair nerve injuries.

Dr. Alex Woods

The co-founder of Newrotex and an NHS trauma and orthopedic surgeon who is leading the research into using spider silk to guide nerve regeneration.

Helen Hide-Wright

A patient who experienced a nerve injury in her right arm after a car accident and underwent a successful nerve graft surgery, but sees the potential benefits of the spider silk-based alternative.

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What they’re saying

“It acts like a scaffold for nerves to grow along like a rose on a trellis.”

— Dr. Alex Woods, Co-founder, Newrotex

“The surgery was brilliant, but what Alex is offering would appear to be far more beneficial, a very exciting opportunity.”

— Helen Hide-Wright

What’s next

The spider silk-based device is currently undergoing its first-in-human study in a hospital in Panama to establish safety. Further studies are planned in the UK and US following the completion of the Panama trial.

The takeaway

The use of golden orb-web spider silk as a surgical scaffold to guide nerve regeneration offers a promising new solution to a longstanding challenge in modern medicine. If successful, this innovative approach could improve patient outcomes and reduce healthcare costs by eliminating the need for nerve grafts and second surgery sites.