Expression of concern: The first tissue-engineered airway transplantation: 5-year follow-up results

Abstract

As with the Expression of Concern1The Editors of The LancetExpression of concern: Clinical transplantation of a tissue-engineered airway.Lancet. 2023; (published online Feb 8.)https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(23)00293-3Google Scholar for the original description of this case,2Macchiarini P Jungebluth P Go T et al.Clinical transplantation of a tissue-engineered airway.Lancet. 2008; 372: 2023-2030Summary Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (1198) Google Scholar given that continuing concerns have persisted over a long time, the Committee on Publication Ethics has also recommended that The Lancet issue an Expression of Concern for this Article.3Gonfiotti A Jaus MO Barale D et al.The first tissue-engineered airway transplantation: 5-year follow-up results.Lancet. 2014; 383: 238-244Summary Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (218) Google Scholar We are following this advice. Expression of concern: Clinical transplantation of a tissue-engineered airwayThe Lancet has received continuing questions over the reliability of the findings and conduct of this reported case,1 since Paolo Macchiarini was found guilty of scientific misconduct in 2018.2 After an investigation by the head of the institution in Barcelona, Spain, where the patient was originally treated, we were told in 2018 that “upon reviewing all information and after verification of the original documents and records supporting the study, we concluded that there is not enough ground to ask The Lancet for retraction of the article”. Full-Text PDF Clinical transplantation of a tissue-engineered airwayThe results show that we can produce a cellular, tissue-engineered airway with mechanical properties that allow normal functioning, and which is free from the risks of rejection. The findings suggest that autologous cells combined with appropriate biomaterials might provide successful treatment for patients with serious clinical disorders. Full-Text PDF The first tissue-engineered airway transplantation: 5-year follow-up resultsThese clinical results provide evidence that a tissue-engineering strategy including decellularisation of a human trachea, autologous epithelial and stem-cell culture and differentiation, and cell-scaffold seeding with a bioreactor is safe and promising. Full-Text PDF