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Updated: Dec 25, 2025
Seeding and Implantation of a Biosynthetic Tissue-engineered Tracheal Graft in a Mouse Model
Published on: April 1, 2019
3D-bioprinted tracheal reconstruction: an overview
Lidia Frejo1,2, Daniel A Grande1,3
1Orthopaedic Research Laboratory, The Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, 350 Community Drive, Manhasset, NY 11030 USA.
Insights
Tissue engineering, particularly 3D-bioprinting, offers a promising solution for airway reconstruction in conditions like tracheomalacia and tracheal stenosis. Further long-term studies are needed to ensure the safety and efficacy of engineered tracheal grafts.
Area of Science:
- Regenerative Medicine
- Biomaterials Science
- Surgical Innovation
Background:
- Congenital tracheomalacia and tracheal stenosis affect premature infants and adults, posing life-threatening risks.
- Acquired airway dysfunctions stem from tracheostomy, intubation, trauma, infection, and tumors.
- Current surgical interventions face limitations for extensive airway pathologies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore tissue engineering as a viable approach for massive airway reconstruction.
- To review strategies employed in tissue-engineered tracheal graft development.
- To highlight the role of 3D-bioprinting in advancing airway reconstruction.
Main Methods:
- Review of various strategies in tracheal reconstruction, including scaffold materials, construct designs, cellular types, and biologic components.
- Examination of hydrogels and animal models utilized in preclinical and clinical airway reconstruction efforts.
- Analysis of 3D-bioprinting applications in current tissue engineering research for airway repair.
Main Results:
- 3D-bioprinting is a key technology contributing to preclinical and clinical airway reconstruction efforts.
- Diverse strategies involving scaffolds, cells, biomaterials, and animal models are being investigated.
- Significant progress has been made in developing tissue-engineered tracheal grafts.
Conclusions:
- Tissue engineering presents a promising avenue for treating severe airway dysfunctions, including tracheomalacia and tracheal stenosis.
- Long-term in vivo studies are essential to evaluate the efficacy, safety, mechanical properties, and potential for re-stenosis of engineered tracheal grafts.
- Continued research is vital to overcome existing surgical limitations and improve patient outcomes.
Abstract:
Congenital tracheomalacia and tracheal stenosis are commonly seen in premature infants. In adulthood, are typically related with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and can occur secondarily from tracheostomy, prolong intubation, trauma, infection and tumors. Both conditions are life-threatening when not managed properly. There are still some surgical limitations for certain pathologies, however tissue engineering is a promising approach to treat massive airway dysfunctions. 3D-bioprinting have contributed to current preclinical and clinical efforts in airway reconstruction. Several strategies have been used to overcome the difficulty of airway reconstruction such as scaffold materials, construct designs, cellular types, biologic components, hydrogels and animal models used in tracheal reconstruction. Nevertheless, additional long-term in vivo studies need to be performed to assess the efficacy and safety of tissue-engineered tracheal grafts in terms of mechanical properties, behavior and, the possibility of further stenosis development.
