Potential tissue-engineering applications for neonatal surgery.
Tissue engineering attempts to build neotissue from its cellular building blocks. This neotissue can then be used for reconstructive surgical applications such as replacement of a congenitally abnormal heart valve or repair of a craniofacial abnormality. Since its inception in the late 1980s, tissue engineering has sparked the interests of physicians and scientists alike because of its great potential. Significant progress has been made in this burgeoning branch of science. This article reviews some of the ongoing preclinical and clinical tissue engineering research as it applies to neonatology.
Breuer
Christopher
C
Department of Surgery, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA.
Anthony
Tiffany
T
Fong
Peter
P
D000818:Animals; D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods; D000013:Congenital Abnormalities / Q000601:surgery*; D019465:Craniofacial Abnormalities / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D023822:Tissue Engineering / Q000379:methods*