A model of tissue-engineered ventral hernia repair

We have developed a tissue-engineered ventral hernia repair system using our novel aligned collagen tube and autologous skeletal muscle satellite cells. In this model system, skeletal muscle satellite cells were isolated from a biopsy, expanded in culture, and incorporated into our collagen tube scaffold, forming the tissue-engineered construct. We characterized the results of the repaired hernias on both the gross and microscopic scales and compared them to an unrepaired control, an autologous muscle repair control, and a collagen-tube-only repair. Untreated animals developed a classic hernia sac, devoid of abdominal muscle and covered only with a thin layer of mesothelial tissue. Significant muscle, small-diameter blood vessels, and connective tissue were apparent in both the autologous control and the engineered muscle repairs. The engineered muscle repairs became cellularized, vascularized, and integrated with the native tissue, hence becoming a "living" repair. A tissue-engineered construct repair of ventral hernias with subsequent incorporation and vascularization could provide the ultimate in anterior wall myofascial defect repair and would further the understanding of striated muscle engineering. The knowledge gained from our model system would have immediate application to mangled extremities, maxillofacial reconstructions, and restorative procedures following tumor excision in other areas of the body.