Construction of a transplantable tissue-engineered artificial peritoneum

Background: Peritoneal defects lead to serious postoperative problems. Thus the development of physiological material to cover peritoneal defects is very desirable. Aim: The aim of this study was to develop a transplantable artificial peritoneum. Method: The artificial peritoneum consisted of collagen gel, fibroblasts, and mesothelial cells, and histological features were analyzed. The artificial peritoneum at the site of a peritoneal defect in the rat was transplanted to the abdominal wall. Results: Histological examination revealed that the artificial peritoneum consisted of a flat mesothelial monolayer upon a stromal matrix. All transplanted artificial peritoneums adapted well to the host and prevented severe adhesion. Conclusion: Our artificial peritoneum may be a useful transplantable bioengineered material for repair of surgical peritoneal defects. Copyright (C) 2004 S. Karger AG, Basel.