Surgical grafts for replacing the nipple and areola or damaged epidermis

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to surgical grafts for replacing nipples and areolas lost to disease or trauma with surgical grafts of decellularized donor nipples and areolas and to placing and recellularizing such grafts. The disclosure further provides methods for decellularizing epidermis. The decellularized epidermis can be used as a protective cover for skin wounds.

1 - 38 . (canceled) 
     
     
         39 . A surgical graft for grafting to a patient, said graft comprising a decellularized nipple, a decellularized areola, or a decellularized nipple attached to a decellularized areola, which decellularized nipple, areola or nipple attached to an areola substantially retains at least one cell adhesion molecule selected from the group consisting of laminin, elastin, fibronectin, and collagen VI, wherein said graft has been at least partially repopulated with cells derived from a healthy nipple, areola or nipple and areola from said patient. 
     
     
         40 . The surgical graft of  claim 39 , wherein said cells derived from said patient are keratinocytes. 
     
     
         41 . A method of making a surgical graft to replace a body part on a patient, said body part having an epidermis and a dermis, and selected from the group consisting of a nipple, an areola, and a nipple attached to an areola, said method comprising:
 (a) obtaining a donor nipple, an areola, or a nipple attached to an areola, and,   (b) decellularizing said nipple, areola, or nipple attached to an areola to decellularize cells of the epidermis and cells of the dermis, while substantially retaining at least one cell adhesion molecule selected from the group consisting of laminin, fibronectin, and collagen VI,   (c), incubating said decellularized body part with cells from a healthy nipple, areola, or both nipple and areola, which cells are derived from said patient, under conditions conducive to repopulating said body part with said cells from said healthy nipple, areola, or nipple and areola derived from said patient,   thereby providing said surgical graft.   
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein said cells derived from said patient are keratinocytes. 
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein said cells derived from said patient are incubated with said decellularized body part by being placed in a culture medium in which said decellularized body part is being incubated. 
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein said cells derived from said patient are incubated with said decellularized body part by being injected into said decellularized body part. 
     
     
         45 . A method of grafting to a patient in need thereof a body part having an epidermis and a dermis, and selected from the group consisting of a decellularized nipple, a decellularized areola, and a decellularized nipple attached to a decellularized areola, said method comprising:
 (a) obtaining a donor nipple, an areola, or a nipple attached to an areola, and   (b) decellularizing said nipple, areola, or nipple attached to an areola to decellularize substantially all cells of said epidermis and said dermis while substantially retaining at least one cell adhesion molecule selected from the group consisting of laminin, elastin, fibronectin, and collagen VI,   (c) repopulating at least some of said decellularized nipple, areola, or nipple attached to an areola with cells derived from a healthy nipple, areola, or nipple attached to an areola of said patient,   (d) securing said body part to a prepared site on said patient to graft said body part to said patient, and   (e) covering said body part with a biocompatible occlusive coating,   thereby grafting said body part to said patient.   
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 45 , wherein said cells derived from said patient are incubated with said decellularized nipple, a decellularized areola, or a decellularized nipple attached to a decellularized areola by being placed in a culture medium in which said decellularized nipple, decellularized areola, or decellularized nipple attached to a decellularized areola is being incubated. 
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 45 , wherein said cells derived from said patient are incubated with said decellularized nipple, decellularized areola, or decellularized nipple attached to a decellularized areola by being injected into said decellularized nipple, decellularized areola, or decellularized nipple attached to a decellularized areola.