Advancing the art of rhinoplasty with tissue engineering

Abstract

Tissue engineering of human septal cartilage could profoundly affect our surgical decisions with primary and revision rhinoplasties. This technology would provide adequate quantity of engineered tissue for cartilage grafting that is frequently used in nasal reconstruction. In theory, the process would begin after a small septal cartilage donor specimen is obtained from the patient. Many of the initial steps in preparing the tissue involve standardized tissue culture techniques. However, modifications to the subsequent tissue growth process tend to affect the success for correct tissue development and maturation. These modifications have a significant impact on the tissue composition and its mechanical strength, which is critical in engineering a cartilage graft suitable for implantation into the nasal framework. An update of these various tissue growth methodologies is provided in this chapter.