The human nose is a complex 3-dimensional organ that in the event of damage or disease can dramatically alter an individual’s profile. In recent decades, rhinoplasties have become one of the most sought after cosmetic procedures, evidencing a public tendency to view the nose as being crucial to the perception of facial attractiveness. For a subset of patients who suffer extensive damage to the nose, the lasting physical effect has devastating consequences. Severe disfigurement of the nose can cause patients to suffer from psychosocial issues, ranging from poor body image and low self-esteem, to depression and suicidal thoughts. For centuries dating back to 600BC, reconstructive surgeons have developed methods for transplanting tissues from different parts of the body to reconstruct this important organ. The overall aim has been to produce a nose as close to normal anatomy and function as possible, using a series of staged operations, together termed a Total Nasal Reconstruction. In recent years however, the field of tissue engineering has opened up a wealth of opportunities to solve the dilemmas of the reconstructive surgeon. Major advancements in cell biology and scaffold technology have meant that the application of tissue engineering methodology to clinical problems is nigh. The ability to engineer bespoke tissues for patients, would in theory minimize the need for donor tissue transplantation, simplify the surgery, and therefore improve clinical outcome. For this reason, this study aimed to apply the paradigm of tissue engineering to nasal reconstruction, developing a cartilaginous construct that could be used to advance this surgical procedure.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:bl.uk/oai:ethos.bl.uk:626089 |
| Date | January 2013 |
| Creators | Oseni, A. |
| Publisher | University College London (University of London) |
| Source Sets | Ethos UK |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
| Source | http://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/1386008/ |
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