Scaffold‐free tissue‐engineered cartilage implants for laryngotracheal reconstruction

• DOI: 10.1002/lary.20750
• Publication Date: 2010-01-07T22:25:48Z
• Authors: David A. Gilpin; Mark S. Weidenbecher; James E. Dennis
• Keywords: Laryngotracheal Stenosis

Abstract Objectives/Hypothesis: Donor site morbidity, including pneumothorax, can be a considerable problem when harvesting cartilage grafts for laryngotracheal reconstruction (LTR). Tissue engineered may offer solution to this problem. This study investigated the feasibility of using autologous chondrocytes tissue‐engineer scaffold‐free LTR in rabbits avoid degradation that often arises from an inflammatory reaction scaffold carrier matrix. Study Design: Animal study. Methods: Auricular was harvested seven New Zealand white rabbits, expanded and loaded onto custom‐made bioreactor 7 8 weeks fabricate sheets. The sheets were cut size used LTR, sacrificed 4, 8, 12 after prepared histology. Results: None showed signs respiratory distress. A smooth, noninflammatory scar visible intraluminally; remainder tracheal lumen unremarkable. Histologically, no or reaction, covered with mucosal epithelium, but did show mechanical failure at implantation site. Conclusions: These results implantable sheet retains phenotype, becomes integrated, does not produce significant reaction. findings suggest design stronger implants, these implants successfully as graft LTR. Laryngoscope, 2010