title: Bone graft survival in expanded skin.
abstract: The effect of tissue expansion on iliac bone graft (onlay) survival was studied on the skulls of 35 New Zealand white rabbits. Wet bone weights at the time of grafting and at sacrifice in control animals (group I) were compared to three experimental groups. Histologic sections of the developing and resolving pseudosheath and skin envelope were performed. A self-inflating 5-mil-thick silicone expander was used for soft-tissue expansion over the rabbit snout. Bone grafts were subsequently placed in this site. Elliptical snout excision without expansion (group II) demonstrated no statistically significant difference in bone graft survival when compared to controls (group I) (p = 0.350). Full tissue expansion followed by immediate bone grafting (group III) within the pseudosheath cavity likewise demonstrated no statistically significant difference in bone graft survival when compared to controls (group I) (p = 0.500); however, when full tissue expansion was followed by delayed (2 weeks) bone grafting to allow for resolution of the giant cell inflammatory reaction of the pseudosheath (group IV), a statistically significant increased bone graft survival was achieved (p less than 0.001). The study demonstrates that the increased vascularity in the pseudosheath and in the expanded soft-tissue envelope significantly increased bone graft survival only when bone grafting was delayed.
authors.affiliation: Variety Center for Craniofacial Rehabilitation, New York University Medical Center, NY.
authors.forename: G S
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: LaTrenta
authors.forename: J G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: McCarthy
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Epstein
authors.forename: C B
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Cutting
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Orentreich
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016025:Bone Transplantation; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000098:blood supply / Q000648:ultrastructure; D003238:Connective Tissue / Q000098:blood supply / Q000648:ultrastructure; D062109:Dermatologic Surgical Procedures; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D006085:Graft Survival; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000209:etiology; D009295:Nasal Bone / Q000601:surgery; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology; D011817:Rabbits; D012867:Skin / Q000098:blood supply; D012879:Skin Physiological Phenomena; D013718:Tensile Strength; D013997:Time Factors