Rationale for the design of 3D-printable bioresorbable tissue-engineering chambers to promote the growth of adipose tissue.

Evidence from laboratory and animal studies provides groundwork for understanding mechanisms and potential before human studies continue.

• Level A · Stronger Clinical Evidence
• Level B · Emerging clinical evidence with positive signals
• Level C · Early human research exploring benefits
• Level D · Scientific groundwork from lab and animal studies
• Emerging · Emerging topic under active research

Abstract (original English)

Tissue engineering chambers (TECs) bring great hope in regenerative medicine as they allow the growth of adipose tissue for soft tissue reconstruction. To date, a wide range of TEC prototypes are available with different conceptions and volumes. Here, we addressed the influence of TEC design on fat flap growth in vivo as well as the possibility of using bioresorbable polymers for optimum TEC conception. In rats, adipose tissue growth is quicker under perforated TEC printed in polylactic acid than non-perforated ones (growth difference 3 to 5 times greater within 90 days). Histological analysis reveals the presence of viable adipocytes under a moderate (less than 15% of the flap volume) fibrous capsule infiltrated with CD68 + inflammatory cells. CD31-positive vascular cells are more abundant at the peripheral zone than in the central part of the fat flap. Cells in the TEC exhibit a specific metabolic profile of functional adipocytes identified by 1 H-NMR. Regardless of the percentage of TEC porosity, the presence of a flat base allowed the growth of a larger fat volume (p < 0.05) as evidenced by MRI images. In pigs, bioresorbable TEC in poly[1,4-dioxane-2,5-dione] (polyglycolic acid) PURASORB PGS allows fat flap growth up to 75 000 mm 3 at day 90, (corresponding to more than a 140% volume increase) while at the same time the TEC is largely resorbed. No systemic inflammatory resp

Evidence level

Evidence from laboratory and animal studies provides groundwork for understanding mechanisms and potential before human studies continue.

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