Johns Hopkins researchers find sensory nerve block curbs growth‑plate injury bone growth in mice

Johns Hopkins Medicine investigators, led by pathologist Aaron W. James, identified that injury to children's growth plates triggers rapid invasion of sensory nerve fibers and blood vessels, forming a bony bar that can stifle bone growth. Their study, published in Science Translational Medicine, showed that administering the long‑acting anesthetic bupivacaine, which blocks TrkA‑positive sensory neurons, reduced abnormal bone formation by up to 60 percent in mice.

Growth‑plate injuries affect up to 30 percent of childhood skeletal traumas and can lead to lasting deformities. The researchers demonstrated the nerve‑driven mechanism using mouse models and human tissue samples, suggesting that targeting sensory nerves could become a therapeutic strategy for preventing growth disturbances in pediatric patients.