Translation of mechanical strain to a scalable biomanufacturing process for acellular matrix production from full thickness porcine bladders.

Bladder acellular matrix has promising applications in urological and other reconstructive surgery as it represents a naturally compliant, non-immunogenic and highly tissue-integrative material. As the bladder fills and distends, the loosely-coiled bundles of collagen fibres in the wall become extended and orientate parallel to the lumen, resulting in a physical thinning of the muscular wall. This accommodating property can be exploited to achieve complete decellularisation of the full-thickness bladder wall by immersing the distended bladder through a series of hypotonic buffers, detergents and nucleases, but the process is empirical, idiosyncratic and does not lend itself to manufacturing scale up.

Augmentation of the insufficient tissue bed for surgical repair of hypospadias using acellular matrix grafts: A proof of concept study.

Acellular matrices produced by tissue decellularisation are reported to have tissue integrative properties. We examined the potential for incorporating acellular matrix grafts during procedures where there is an inadequate natural tissue bed to support an enduring surgical repair. Hypospadias is a common congenital defect requiring surgery, but associated with long-term complications due to deficiencies in the quality and quantity of the host tissue bed at the repair site.

Stepladder incision technique for radical excision of suprasternal thyroglossal duct remnant.

Thyroglossal duct remnant localized to the suprasternal notch is an exceedingly rare condition. We report on a novel case occurring in an 8-year-old girl who presented with acute onset of a suprasternal abscess. After incision and drainage, a Sistrunk procedure was successfully carried out using 2 stepladder incisions.

Posterior urethral valves: relationship between vesicoureteral reflux and renal function.

Objective: To investigate the relationship between renal function and vesicoureteral reflux before and after valve ablation in patients with posterior urethral valves. In these patients, back pressure may not be the only cause of renal damage.

Material And Methods: We conducted a retrospective review of 37 patients with valves consecutively treated between 1970 and 2002.