Definition
Plain language
Surgically joining two tubes in the body, like two ends of a windpipe, so they work as one.
As stated in the literature
Surgical connection between two hollow structures (vessels, airways, bowel); in the tracheal-transplant context, the join between graft and native airway.
Also called: surgical anastomosis
Why it matters: The join is where transplants most often fail — if it leaks, narrows or comes apart, the patient can lose their airway.
For example, after removing a damaged section of windpipe, a surgeon stitches the two remaining ends together so air can pass through as before.
Heard on the show
“Scaffold selection, decellularization chemistry, autologous cell sourcing, bioreactor maturation, and then surgical anastomosis.”Episode 240 — Frontier Models Designed Follow-Ups To Fraudulent Papers 93% Of The Time