Ureteral reconstruction using autologous tubular grafts for the management of ureteral strictures and defects: an experimental study.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate whether the peritoneal cavity could function as a bioreactor to produce autologous tubular grafts for ureteral reconstruction in beagles.


METHODS
8-Fr Silastic tubes were implanted into the peritoneal cavities of 6 female beagles. At 3 weeks, the tubes were harvested and the tubular tissue covering the tubes was gently everted. A segment 3 cm in length of the right mid-ureter, involving two thirds of its diameter, was removed parallel to the ureteral axis, leaving a third of the ureteral wall. A 5-Fr double-J stent was inserted into the ureter through the created defect, and two thirds of the graft were anastomosed to both edges of the ureteral defect. One third of the graft was overlapped with the retained normal ureter and anastomosed to the external surface of the lumens. Thus, the graft was partly encapsulated by the remainder of ureteral wall. The stent was maintained for 6 weeks and removed. Excretory urography was performed at 8 (n = 3) and 12 weeks (n = 3), postoperatively. Meanwhile, the neoureter was harvested and analyzed. The left ureter served as the control and a simple intubated ureterotomy was performed.


RESULTS
Histological analysis of the tubular tissue demonstrated transversely arranged myofibroblasts and an outer layer of mesothelium. The tissue was easily everted and transplanted as a ureteral graft. Eight weeks postoperatively, the neoureter demonstrated normal ureteral architecture, composed of multilayers of urothelium surrounded by smooth muscle bundles, which became increasingly organized with time. Excretory urography indicated no stenosis or hydronephrosis.


CONCLUSIONS
These results show that autologous tubular tissue grown within the recipients' peritoneal cavity can be used for ureteral reconstruction in the beagle model.
Department of Urology, Shanghai First People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, PR China.
Jie
J
Zhang
Gang-Li
GL
Gu
Guo-Hua
GH
Liu
Jun-Tao
JT
Jiang
Shu-Jie
SJ
Xia
Jie
J
Sun
Ying-Jian
YJ
Zhu
Jiang
J
Zhu
D000714:Anastomosis, Surgical; D000818:Animals; D019149:Bioreactors; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D003251:Constriction, Pathologic; D004129:Dimethylpolysiloxanes; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004285:Dogs; D004867:Equipment Design; D005260:Female; D058628:Myofibroblasts / Q000637:transplantation*; D010529:Peritoneal Cavity / Q000601:surgery; D011859:Radiography; D015607:Stents; D013997:Time Factors; D023822:Tissue Engineering / Q000379:methods*; D054457:Tissue Scaffolds; D014182:Transplantation, Autologous; D014513:Ureter / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D014517:Ureteral Obstruction / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D019459:Urothelium / Q000637:transplantation*
D004129:Dimethylpolysiloxanes; C013830:baysilon