Page 5 - JCTR-10-2

Journal of Clinical and Translational Research 2024; 10(2): 99-111

Journal of Clinical and Translational Research

Journal homepage: http://www.jctres.com/en/home

REVIEW ARTICLE

Tissue engineering and regenerative medicine in otorhinolaryngology

Konstantina Dinaki *, Nikolaos Grigoriadis , Ioannis Vizirianakis , Jannis Constantinidis , Stefanos Triaridis ,
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1
1
1
2,3
Petros Karkos 1
st
2
1 Department of 1 Academic ORL, AHEPA Hospital, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece, Laboratory of Pharmacology,
School of Pharmacy, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece, Department of Health Sciences, School of Life and Health Sciences,
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University of Nicosia, Nicosia, Cyprus
ARTICLE INFO Abstract:
Article history: Background and Aim: Regenerative medicine has been gaining popularity in the field of medicine,
Received: October 02, 2023 and the possibilities for tissue regeneration are immense in the field of otorhinolaryngology, which
Accepted: October 31, 2023 involves sensory organs and vital functions such as breathing and swallowing. Regenerative strategies
Published Online: March 19, 2024 offer the potential to restore functions such as hearing, facial expression, olfaction, and speaking,
thereby reducing the disadvantages and risks related to traditional reconstruction strategies. This
Keywords: review summarizes the progress of regenerative medicine in otology and hearing, laryngeal surgery,
Regenerative medicine rhinology, and craniofacial reconstruction.
Stem cells Relevance for Patients: Patients can be informed about the progress of regenerative medicine in the
Otorhinolaryngology field of otorhinolaryngology and how it has evolved to ameliorate the symptoms of common diseases
or cure even more severe ones.
*Corresponding author:
Konstantina Dinaki
Department of Otolaryngology-Head 1. Introduction
Neck Surgery, Ahepa University Hospital,
Thessaloniki, Greece. Over the past decade, regenerative medicine and tissue engineering have gained
Email: kdina@auth.gr
popularity in the medical and pharmaceutical sectors, owing to the ability of tissue
© 2024 Author(s). This is an Open-Access engineering to correct medical defects using scaffolds that mimic the natural form and
article distributed under the terms of the function of many organs and tissues. Regenerative medicine can also be applied in the field
Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial of otorhinolaryngology to treat common anatomical and physiological deficiencies. These
License, permitting all non-commercial use, deficiencies are congenital by nature or can develop from head and neck cancer treatment
distribution, and reproduction in any medium,
provided the original work is properly cited. (e.g., radiotherapy and surgery). Tissue replacement, using grafts derived from other
tissues and artificial materials, is a traditional approach to addressing these deficiencies [1].
Cells, biocompatible scaffolds, and bioactive factors are the three major types of
treatment used in regenerative medicine (Table 1) [2,3]. Cells, including stem, progenitor,
or differentiated cells, can be employed to rebuild tissues and alter the immune response
and cell behavior [4]. Scaffolds, synthetic or biological, are 3D structures designed to fit
into defects and restore the diseased organs’ function. They can be combined with bioactive
factors or cell components to control differentiation and migration to specified tissues [5].
In vivo, the cell processes involved in cell regeneration can be influenced by various
molecules, including growth factors, cytokines, hormones, and other compounds [6,7]. In
addition, these strategies have disadvantages, such as the requirement of immunosuppressive
drugs, donor site morbidity, infection, and rejection risks [8]. Whilst the transplantation
of bioengineered tissues can overcome the latter hindering factors, extensive trials to
overcome the bio-ethical challenges are necessary to significantly improve the use of
regenerative tissue medicine in the field of otorhinolaryngology.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.36922/jctr.22.00151