Fibrous Biomaterial Scaffold for Tympanic Membrane Repair: Microarchitectural Engineering and Structure Function Performance

Publikation: Beitrag in FachzeitschriftÜbersichtsartikel (Review)EingeladenBegutachtung

Abstract

Tympanic membrane (TM) perforations, arising from infections, injuries, or chronic otitis media, remain a frequent clinical finding and can lead to hearing problems when the tissue does not regenerate adequately. Although autologous grafts are still the standard option for repairing persistent defects, they come with well-known limitations. Beyond the need for additional harvesting procedures, these grafts rarely reproduce the intricate, fibrous layering of the native TM, which can compromise sound transmission after healing. In search of alternatives, fibre-based scaffolds have attracted considerable interest. The primary advantage of this material is the level of structural control it affords. The fibre orientation, porosity, and overall microarchitecture can be adjusted to replicate the organisation and mechanical behaviour of the natural membrane. A range of biocompatible polymers-among them silk fibroin, poly(ε-caprolactone), poly(lactic acid), and poly(vinyl alcohol) and their composites-provide options for tuning stiffness, degradation rates, and interactions with cells, making them suitable building blocks for TM repair constructs. This review provides a comprehensive overview of contemporary fabrication methodologies, namely electrospinning, additive manufacturing, melt electrowriting, and hybrid strategies. In addition, it offers a detailed discussion of the evaluation procedures employed for these scaffolds and discusses how scaffold structure affects later performance. Mechanical testing, microstructural imaging, and in vitro biocompatibility assays help to determine how closely a construct can approach the performance of the native tissue. Bringing these elements together may support the gradual translation of fibre-based TM scaffolds into clinical practice.

Details

OriginalspracheEnglisch
Aufsatznummer53
Seitenumfang38
FachzeitschriftJournal of functional biomaterials
Jahrgang17
Ausgabenummer1
PublikationsstatusVeröffentlicht - 21 Jan. 2026
Peer-Review-StatusJa

Externe IDs

PubMedCentral PMC12843450
ORCID /0000-0002-5405-0981/work/205336012
Scopus 105029078948

Schlagworte

ASJC Scopus Sachgebiete

Schlagwörter

  • additive manufacturing, biomaterials, electrospinning, fibrous biomaterial scaffolds, hearing loss, microarchitecture, otology, scaffold design, tympanic membrane, tympanic membrane perforation