Perioperative management of chronic respiratory disease.

Respiratory disease contributes significantly to the perioperative challenges of surgery. Preexisting pulmonary co-morbidities and respiratory complications can have profound effects on patient outcomes. Knowledge of these conditions and the potentially deleterious effects of anaesthesia and surgery can enable clinicians to optimise lung function, reduce complications and improve results.

Designing a 'neotissue' using the principles of biology, chemistry and engineering.

The traditional methods of treating musculoskeletal injuries and disorders are not completely effective and have several limitations. Tissue engineering involves using the principles of biology, chemistry and engineering to design a 'neotissue' that augments a malfunctioning in vivo tissue. The main requirements for functional engineered tissue include reparative cellular components that proliferate on a scaffold grown within a bioreactor that provides specific biochemical and physical signals to regulate cell differentiation and tissue assembly.

The role of bioreactors in tissue engineering for musculoskeletal applications.

Tissue engineering involves using the principles of biology, chemistry and engineering to design a 'neotissue' that augments a malfunctioning in vivo tissue. The main requirements for functional engineered tissue include reparative cellular components that proliferate on a biocompatible scaffold grown within a bioreactor that provides specific biochemical and physical signals to regulate cell differentiation and tissue assembly. We discuss the role of bioreactors in tissue engineering and evaluate the principles of bioreactor design.