Esophagus tissue engineering: in situ generation of rudimentary tubular vascularized esophageal conduit using the ovine model.

Purpose: Esophagus replacement using the present surgical techniques is associated with significant morbidity. Tissue engineering of the esophagus may provide the solution for esophageal loss. In our attempts to engineer the esophagus, this study aimed to investigate the feasibility of generating vascularized in situ esophageal conduits using the ovine model.