title: First Successful Clinical Application of the In Vivo Tissue-Engineered Autologous Vascular Graft.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The ideal material for pediatric pulmonary artery (PA) augmentation is autologous pericardium. However, its utility for multistaged operations is limited. In this study, we applied an in vivo tissue-engineered autologous Biotube graft to a patient with congenital heart disease for the first time.
  
  
  METHODS
  For molds of the Biotubes, two silicone 19F drain tubes were embedded in the subcutaneous spaces of a 2-year-old girl with a diagnosis of pulmonary atresia and ventricular septal defect with major aortopulmonary collateral arteries during palliative surgical procedures. When definitive repair was performed after 8 months, the implants were removed to prepare Biotubes, one of which was cut open and autologously implanted into the PA for patch augmentation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Seven months after implantation, the Biotube patch-augmented PA tolerated balloon angioplasty (BAP) for residual stenosis of the peripheral PA. Computed tomography images after BAP showed the well-preserved shape of the Biotube patch-augmented PA. Neither aneurysm formation nor stenosis was observed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The safety and feasibility of Biotubes for pediatric PA patch augmentation are described. Because Biotubes are completely autologous, they may be ideal material for pediatric PA augmentation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Cardiovascular Surgery, Children's Medical Center, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan. Electronic address: kitto_katto1981@yahoo.co.jp.
authors.forename: Nobuyasu
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kato
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Cardiovascular Surgery, Children's Medical Center, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan.
authors.forename: Masaaki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yamagishi
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiovascular Surgery, Department of Surgery, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan.
authors.forename: Keiichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kanda
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Cardiovascular Surgery, Children's Medical Center, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan.
authors.forename: Takako
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Miyazaki
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Cardiovascular Surgery, Children's Medical Center, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan.
authors.forename: Yoshinobu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Maeda
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiovascular Surgery, Department of Surgery, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan.
authors.forename: Masashi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yamanami
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiovascular Surgery, Department of Surgery, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan.
authors.forename: Taiji
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiovascular Surgery, Department of Surgery, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan.
authors.forename: Hitoshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yaku
mesh_terms: D001807:Blood Vessel Prosthesis; D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006343:Heart Septal Defects / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D010496:Pericardium / Q000637:transplantation*; D011651:Pulmonary Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D018633:Pulmonary Atresia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D023822:Tissue Engineering / Q000379:methods*; D016378:Tissue Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed