Tracheal replacement with cryopreserved allogenic aorta.
BACKGROUND
Radical resection of primary tracheal tumors may be challenging when more than one-half of the tracheal length is concerned. The present study evaluated the use of cryopreserved aortic allografts (CAAs) to replace long tracheal segments.


METHODS
Sixteen adult minipigs underwent tracheal replacement with a CAA. A silicone stent was used to splint the CAA for the first 12 months. Animals were followed-up using bronchoscopic evaluation and killed at predetermined times, for a period up to 18 months long.


RESULTS
Intense inflammation and progressive disappearance of typical histologic structures of the aorta were seen within the first 3 months. All animals studied for more than 3 months showed progressive transformation of the graft into a chimerical conduit sharing aortic and tracheal histologic patterns (eg, islands of disorganized elastic fibers/mature respiratory ciliated epithelium, respiratory glands, islets of cartilage). Stent removal was attempted after 12 months in 10 animals, and critical tracheal stenosis was found in six animals and moderate asymptomatic stenosis in four. Clinical course in these latter animals was uneventful until they were killed at 15 to 18 months. In situ hybridization showed that collagen2a1 mRNA was expressed in the cartilage islets at 1 year. Polymerase chain reaction analysis of the SRY gene demonstrated that the newly formed cartilage cells derived from the host.


CONCLUSIONS
CAA may be considered as a valuable tracheal substitute for patients with extensive tracheal tumors. Prolonged stenting will be probably mandatory for the clinical application of the procedure in humans.
Critical Care Department, University Hospital Larisa, University of Thessaly, Larisa, Greece.
Demosthènes
D
Makris
Muriel
M
Holder-Espinasse
Alain
A
Wurtz
Agathe
A
Seguin
Thomas
T
Hubert
Sophie
S
Jaillard
Marie Christine
MC
Copin
Ramadan
R
Jashari
Martine
M
Duterque-Coquillaud
Emmanuel
E
Martinod
Charles-Hugo
CH
Marquette
D000818:Animals; D001013:Aorta, Thoracic / Q000637:transplantation*; D001999:Bronchoscopy; D015925:Cryopreservation; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006085:Graft Survival; D008297:Male; D013552:Swine; D013556:Swine, Miniature; D013908:Thoracotomy; D014132:Trachea / Q000601:surgery*; D014135:Tracheal Stenosis / Q000601:surgery*; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous; D016896:Treatment Outcome