Biliary Injuries Repair Using Copolymeric Scaffold: A Systematic Review and In Vivo Experimental Study

Abstract

Background: Common bile duct (CBD) treatments are often associated with complications, limiting long-term efficacy. To overcome these issues, polymeric grafts have been suggested as promising alternatives, since they are highly customizable, biocompatible, and may reduce side effects frequency. Methods: A systematic review was conducted, interrogating MEDLINE and Cochrane Library. Next, an in vivo study involved 20 pigs, which underwent a former controlled biliary injury. To repair the defect, a α,β-Poly(N-2hydroxyethyl)-DL-Aspartamide (PHEA)–Polylactic-acid (PLA)–Polycaprolactone (PCL) scaffold Academic Editors: Xibo Yan and Shuai Wang Received: 11 July 2025 Revised: 5 August 2025 Accepted: 13 August 2025 Published: 18 August 2025 Citation: Buscemi, S.; Bonventre, G.; Gottardo, A.; Licciardi, M.; Palumbo, F.S.; Cassata, G.; Cicero, L.; Lo Monte, G.; Puleio, R.; Lo Monte, A.I. Biliary Injuries Repair Using Copolymeric Scaffold: A Systematic Review and In Vivo Experimental Study. J. Funct. Biomater. 2025, 16, 297. https:// doi.org/10.3390/jfb16080297 Copyright: © 2025 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/ licenses/by/4.0/). was implanted. The animals were sacrificed at one and three months for gross and histological examinations, to assess tissue integration and healing outcomes. Results: The systematic review highlighted that such scaffolds have shown promising results in CBD regeneration, both in single and joined applications. These findings were confirmed by the in vivo study, where the use of such scaffolds—particularly, the planar ones—led to safe and complete bile duct regeneration. Histological analysis revealed lymphomonocytic infiltrates and neovascularization, while microscopic examination showed progressive scaffold degradation accompanied by biliary tissue regeneration. Conclusions: Experimental results are consistent with the literature, confirming the potential of such polymeric scaffolds in aiding complete CBD regeneration and being reabsorbed shortly after. Still, further studies are needed to fully validate their translational application. PROSPERO ID: CRD420251115056.