Tissue engineering in abdominal wall surgery

Abdominal wall defects and tissue loss that result from traumatic injury, surgical resection, failure of abdominal closures (i.e., incisional hernias) or ventral hernias are a common clinical problem. Currently, the repair of these tissue defects represents a reconstructive challenge to surgeons. The goal of abdominal wall reconstruction is to restore and maintain a functional abdominal wall. This article reviews the current and potential tissue engineering strategies for the repair of abdominal wall defects and suggests some innovative approaches for the translation to the clinical setting.