Regeneration – A New Therapeutic Dimension in Otorhinolaryngology

Regeneration as a therapeutic priniciple and regenerative medicine in general are promising new strategies to add new therapeutic dimensions to our current treatment options. Today, reconstructive surgery, drugs and implants such as the cochlear implant can replace the functions of damaged tissues. In contrast, regenerative therapies aim at the replacement of the damaged tissues themselves while at the same time replacing their lost tissue function. In this review article new technologies such as 3D-bioprinting and the application of decellularised tissues as biomaterials are introduced and explained. A summary of current preclinical and clinical regenerative studies in otorhinolaryngology is complementing these basic aspects.