Biomaterials based on small intestinal submucosa (SIS) for esophagus regeneration

Atresia and Barrett´s esophagus are diseases in which the esophageal tissue is compromised. It has been shown that the extracellular matrix of the porcine small intestinal submucosa (SIS) serves as a scaffold for tissue repair and remodeling. This project aims to generate an organic scaffold that resembles the tensile properties of esophageal tissue through SIS modifications. First, the mechanical properties of three segments of a porcine esophagus were characterized using biaxial tensile strength tests. To emulate the esophageal natural properties, SIS was modified using two different methods: i) the crosslinking of single hydrated SIS laminae with varying crosslinking durations, and ii) trilaminar constructions using different orientations amongst the layers. The resulting modified tissues were compared to the esophagus tensile data. Mechanical properties differed along the esophageal tract studied, and both SIS modification procedures showed mechanical properties similar to the different esophagus segments.