TISSUE ENGINEERING IN UROLOGIC SURGERY

The use of nonurologic tissues in the genitourinary tract is common (o wing to a lack of a better alternative) despite the known possible adv erse effects. Selective cell transplantation is providing a means to e ngineer genitourinary tissues that may be used for reconstruction. Thi s novel technology involves an interdisciplinary approach, combining t echniques of cell. biology and materials sciences towards the developm ent of functional tissues or organs. Tissues associated with urology, such as clitoral, cavernosal, urethral, vesical, ureteral, and renal h ave been created in the laboratory, with varying degrees of function. Cells have also been recently used in patients as bulking agents for t he treatment of vesicoureteral reflux and urinary incontinence. As the science of tissue engineering evolves, one can expect a wider applica tion of this technology to the armamentarium of urologic surgery.