Lymphatic Regeneration after Popliteal Lymph Node Excision and Implantation of Aligned Nanofibrillar Collagen...

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Regenerative Medicine
• Vascular Biology

Background:

• Lymphedema significantly impacts patient quality of life, necessitating novel therapeutic strategies.
• Collagen scaffolds are being explored for lymphedema treatment and prevention.
• Secondary lymphedema models are crucial for evaluating new interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the efficacy of aligned nanofibrillar collagen scaffolds (BioBridge™) in preventing and treating secondary lymphedema.
• To evaluate the lymphangiogenic potential of BioBridge™ scaffolds in a rabbit model.
• To determine the impact of scaffold implantation timing on treatment outcomes.

Main Methods:

• Thirty rabbits were allocated into treatment, prevention, and control groups.
• Secondary lymphedema was induced, followed by BioBridge™ scaffold implantation at different time points (day 0 for prevention, day 60 for treatment).
• Hindlimb circumference and indocyanine green lymphography were used for follow-up assessments at 0, 60, and 90 days.

Main Results:

• Dermal backflow incidence at 60 days was 100% in the treatment group, 44.4% in the prevention group, and 90% in the control group.
• At 90 days, dermal backflow incidence decreased to 22.2% in the treatment group and 44.4% in the prevention group, versus 90% in the control.
• New linear lymphatic vessels were observed in rabbits with resolved dermal backflow, indicating scaffold-induced lymphangiogenesis.

Conclusions:

• Aligned nanofibrillar collagen scaffolds (BioBridge™) demonstrate potential for both preventing and treating secondary lymphedema.
• The scaffolds effectively reduce dermal backflow and promote the formation of new lymphatic vessels.
• These findings support the therapeutic value of BioBridge™ in managing lymphedema.