1286-Meniscus Scaffolds for Pediatric Airway Reconstruction

Paper Talk · Jul 16, 2026 · 26m

The paper describes the development of MEND, a novel tissue-engineered scaffold derived from decellularized porcine meniscus for use in pediatric laryngotracheal reconstruction (LTR). Researchers utilized selective enzymatic digestion to create microchannels within the cartilage, allowing for rapid recellularization with ear-derived cartilage progenitor cells (eCPCs). This approach addresses the critical shortage of autologous costal cartilage in infants, which often leads to surgical delays or complications. In a rabbit model, the differentiated eCPCs-MEND grafts demonstrated superior…