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Are Engineered Tissues Useful for Tracheal Reconstruction?

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Difficult Decisions in Thoracic Surgery

Part of the book series: Difficult Decisions in Surgery: An Evidence-Based Approach ((DDSURGERY))

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Abstract

The human trachea is a vital structure with complex architecture and well-defined mechanical properties. Trauma, neoplasm, congenital defects and iatrogenic injury can lead to loss of patency and necessitate surgical intervention to reestablish its function as a viable and disease resistant airway. Due to the trachea’s structural redundancy, and longitudinal elasticity, circumferential tracheal resection and primary anastomosis is safe in the majority of patients. For those who require removal of more than half of the trachea, options are limited. This unmet need, and the apparent simplicity of the trachea as a hollow tube, have inspired surgeons and scientists to engineer tracheal substitutes over nearly a century. None of these implants have achieved long term patency. As a result, patients have suffered from complications of premature clinical translation. While experimental research in this area has to continue, engineered tissues are not a viable form of treatment at this point in time.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA

    Brooks V. Udelsman

  2. Thoracic Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA

    Harald C. Ott

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  1. Brooks V. Udelsman
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  2. Harald C. Ott
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Correspondence to Harald C. Ott .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Surgery, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA

    Mark K. Ferguson

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Udelsman, B.V., Ott, H.C. (2020). Are Engineered Tissues Useful for Tracheal Reconstruction?. In: Ferguson, M. (eds) Difficult Decisions in Thoracic Surgery. Difficult Decisions in Surgery: An Evidence-Based Approach. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-47404-1_46

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-47404-1_46

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-030-47403-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-47404-1

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