[URETERAL TISSUE ENGINEERING: CHALLENGES AND PROSPECTS]

A broad range of pathologic conditions of the ureter (strictures, obliterations, fistulas, and so on) requiring reconstructive plastic surgery is a challenging urological problem. A variety of approaches to solve the problem indicates the need of searching for new opportunities. A new direction in reconstructive surgery of the ureter is the tissue engineering. Tissue engineering involves the usage of matrices and cells. The matrices can be used both with cultured cells, and without them. This review represents the results of preclinical studies on feasibility of tissue engineering using as a matrix both natural and synthetic materials for different ureter impairments. Presently, there are no data on the use of tissue-engineering for the ureter reconstruction in clinical trials (i.e. involving human subjects). The results of studies presented in the review inspire certain optimism, but ureteral tissue-engineering is a difficult task requiring a balanced approach and well-thought-out design of preclinical studies.