The team led by Professor Hong-Ji Chen at China Medical University Hospital has successfully used the appendix, once considered a vestigial organ, in reconstructive surgery to restore functions for critical organs such as the voice box, urethra, reproductive tract, and even tear ducts and bile ducts. This groundbreaking use of the appendix in free intestinal flap surgery not only overcomes the limitations of traditional medical approaches but also provides new treatment options for complex tissue defects previously seen as difficult to address.

Appendix: Rich Blood Supply and Structural Stability

Although often regarded as a vestigial organ, the appendix has a normal tubular structure composed of muscle layers and mucosal epithelium, with no hair follicles and a rich blood supply. This makes it less prone to narrowing when connected to structures like the urethra or intestines, making it an ideal material for reconstructive surgery. In contrast, traditional reconstruction techniques often use artificial tracheoesophageal prostheses (TEP) or skin flaps, which are prone to complications such as contraction, narrowing, and infection, and their functional recovery is limited.

Precision Organ Reconstruction with Microsurgical Techniques

The core of the appendix-based intestinal flap reconstruction technique lies in using a free appendix flap for organ reconstruction. With the aid of surgical microscopes, surgeons can perform highly precise operations, significantly improving the success rate and safety of these surgeries. In voice reconstruction, the free appendix flap can provide a stable vocal channel, allowing patients to regain natural speech without the complications associated with implanted voice prostheses, such as mechanical failure, blockage, or food reflux.

For female reproductive tract reconstruction, this technique can reconstruct both the vagina and cervix using a combination of colon and appendix tissue, enabling normal menstrual flow post-surgery and potentially increasing the chances of pregnancy and childbirth. In male urethral reconstruction, using the appendix significantly reduces the risk of postoperative narrowing and can even be combined with penile reconstruction to help patients regain normal urination and sexual function.

Additionally, the team has extended the use of this technique to tear duct and bile duct reconstruction. Tear duct reconstruction can alleviate dry eye symptoms, while bile duct reconstruction can prevent complications like reflux cholangitis that may occur with traditional surgery.

Improving Quality of Life and Advancing onto the Global Stage

Professor Chen highlighted that the appendix intestinal flap reconstruction technique not only improves patients' physiological functions but also significantly enhances their quality of life. With the accumulation of more clinical cases, this technique is expected to be applied in a wider range of medical fields, offering safer and more effective treatment options for patients with various organ function deficiencies. In the future, the team plans to continue developing and promoting the technique, aiming to showcase Taiwan’s medical innovations on the global stage through international collaboration and exchanges.

Resource (mandarin): 闌尾不再無用 顯微手術重建幫獲新「聲」！