Large animal models for long-segment tracheal reconstruction: a systematic review

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Regenerative Medicine
• Surgical Innovation

Background:

• Tracheal defect reconstruction is a significant clinical challenge.
• Current methods lack reproducibility and widespread applicability.
• Large animals offer valuable preclinical models for tracheal research.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review and analyze large animal models used for tracheal reconstruction.
• To identify the limitations and potential of existing and emerging tracheal replacement strategies.

Main Methods:

• Systematic literature review of PubMed and EMBASE databases.
• Analysis of 57 studies on large animal models for tracheal and carinal defect reconstruction.

Main Results:

• No standardized large animal model for tracheal research currently exists.
• Livestock models are increasingly preferred over canine models.
• Key requirements for tracheal substitutes include rigidity, vascularity, and epithelial lining.
• Synthetic prostheses and allotransplantation have limitations; tissue engineering shows promise but requires further optimization.

Conclusions:

• Despite advancements, a definitive solution for extensive tracheal defect reconstruction is still needed.
• Further research into optimized tissue engineering approaches is warranted.