title: Esophageal replacement by hydroxylated bacterial cellulose patch in a rabbit model.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To repair esophageal defects by hydroxylated and kombucha-synthesized bacterial cellulose (HKBC) patch in a rabbit model.
  
  
  METHODS
  Semicircular esophageal defects 1 cm in length of the cervical esophagus were initially created in 18 Japanese big-ear rabbits and then repaired with HKBC patch grafts. The clinical outcomes including survival rate, weight change, food intake, and hematological and radiologic evaluation were observed. After X-ray evaluation, the rabbits were sacrificed sequentially at 1, 3, and 6 months for histopathologic analysis with light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Survival rate during the first month was 88.9% (n = 16). Two rabbits died from anastomotic leakage during the entire follow-up. Postoperatively, feeding function and body weight were gradually restored in the surviving animals. No hematological abnormalities were found, and no obvious anastomotic leakage, stenosis, or obstruction was observed under X-ray examination. The histopathologic results showed a progressive regeneration of the esophagus in the graft area, where the neo-esophagus tissue had characteristics similar to native esophageal tissue after 3 months of surgery.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  HKBC is beneficial for esophageal tissue regeneration and may be a promising material for esophageal reconstruction.
authors.forename: Changlai
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Fang
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Wenbo
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Qian
authors.forename: Yingjie
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Qingsheng
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: You
authors.forename: Tianyi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Feng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D057868:Anastomotic Leak / Q000175:diagnosis*; D000818:Animals; D001704:Biopolymers / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D002482:Cellulose / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004935:Esophageal Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D004947:Esophagus / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D006900:Hydroxylation; D011817:Rabbits; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D023822:Tissue Engineering / Q000379:methods*; D019737:Transplants / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014945:Wound Healing
chemical_list: D001704:Biopolymers; D002482:Cellulose