Experimental study on in situ tissue engineering of the stomach by an acellular collagen sponge scaffold graft

We carried out an experimental study to clarify the feasibility of stomach tissue engineering for reconstruction after partial gastrectomy. A collagen sponge scaffold was implanted to support the regeneration of stomach tissue. A 4 cm square area of the anterior wall of the stomach was surgically resected in three beagle dogs, and then reconstructed using the collagen sponge scaffold. The dogs received intravenous hyperalimentation for 14 days after the operation, and a silicone sheet was used as a patch on the luminal side to protect the scaffold from degradation by digestive juice. The silicone sheet was removed endoscopically 4 weeks after the operation, and the surgical defect was observed endoscopically at various time points. At 4 weeks after surgery, the stomach wall had regenerated, but was not yet covered by stomach mucosal tissue. However, at 16 weeks after surgery, mucosa totally covered the regenerated area. Microscopic findings confirmed regeneration of the stomach wall, mucosa, and thin muscular layer. These results show that tissue engineering of the stomach will be feasible in the near future for reconstruction after partial gastrectomy.