The Development of Newborn Porcine Models for Evaluation of Tissue-Engineered Small Intestine

Short bowel syndrome is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in the pediatric population, for which treatment options are limited. To develop novel approaches for the treatment of short bowel syndrome, we now focus on the development of a tissue-engineered intestine (also known as an “artificial intestine”) in which intestinal stem cells are cultured onto an absorbable bioscaffold followed by implantation into the host. In order to enhance the translational potential of these pre-clinical studies, we have developed three clinically relevant models in neonatal piglets, which approximate the size of the human infant, and which were evaluated after implantation and establishment of intestinal continuity over the long-term: The models included 1) a staged, multi-operation approach; 2) a single operation with a de-functionalized loop of small intestine; and 3) a single operation with an intestinal bypass. The first model had complications related multiple operations in a short time period, including surgic...