Literature search strategy

Electronic searches were performed using PubMed/Medline for articles published form January 2000 to September 2017. We used “tracheal replacement” or “tracheal substitute” or “tracheal regeneration” or “tracheal tissue engineering” or “tracheal transplantation” as key words or medical subject heading (MeSH) terms. All identified articles were systematically assessed using the inclusion and exclusion criteria listed below. The reference lists of articles matching inclusion criteria were then reviewed for further identification of potentially relevant studies.