A Contemporary Review of Trachea, Nose, and Ear Cartilage Bioengineering and Additive Manufacturing. Biomimetics (Basel) 2024 May 29;9(6)
Date
06/26/2024Pubmed ID
38921207Pubmed Central ID
PMC11202182DOI
10.3390/biomimetics9060327Scopus ID
2-s2.0-85197893179 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site) 6 CitationsAbstract
The complex structure, chemical composition, and biomechanical properties of craniofacial cartilaginous structures make them challenging to reconstruct. Autologous grafts have limited tissue availability and can cause significant donor-site morbidity, homologous grafts often require immunosuppression, and alloplastic grafts may have high rates of infection or displacement. Furthermore, all these grafting techniques require a high level of surgical skill to ensure that the reconstruction matches the original structure. Current research indicates that additive manufacturing shows promise in overcoming these limitations. Autologous stem cells have been developed into cartilage when exposed to the appropriate growth factors and culture conditions, such as mechanical stress and oxygen deprivation. Additive manufacturing allows for increased precision when engineering scaffolds for stem cell cultures. Fine control over the porosity and structure of a material ensures adequate cell adhesion and fit between the graft and the defect. Several recent tissue engineering studies have focused on the trachea, nose, and ear, as these structures are often damaged by congenital conditions, trauma, and malignancy. This article reviews the limitations of current reconstructive techniques and the new developments in additive manufacturing for tracheal, nasal, and auricular cartilages.
