Carbofilm-covered prostheses in plastic surgery: preliminary observations.
The optimal interface between an implant and the host organism is that which minimizes uncontrolled and irregular growth of fibrous tissue around the foreign material. One way to achieve this goal is to coat the outer surface of the implant with a biocompatible material. A thin film of turbostratic carbon (Carbofilm, Sorin Biomedica, Saluggia, Italy) can be applied as a thin coating on tissue expanders and breast implants made of silicone elastomers. The success of biologic trials with such implants in rats and cytologic studies with murine and human fibroblasts encouraged us to employ the Carbofilm technology in clinical situations. Preliminary results indicate that Carbofilm-coated implants satisfy the requirements of an ideal alloplastic material and induce a minimal periprosthetic inflammatory reaction, with the formation of a thin, soft, pliable, fibrous capsule around coated gel-filled silicone implants.
Department of Plastic Surgery, University of Turin, Italy.
G
G
Bocchiotti
G
G
Verna
M
M
Fracalvieri
E
E
Fanton
G
G
Datta
E
E
Robotti
D000818:Animals; D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003286:Contracture / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000473:pathology; D005549:Foreign-Body Reaction / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D016462:Mammaplasty; D011140:Polyurethanes; D019736:Prostheses and Implants; D051381:Rats; D012826:Silicone Elastomers; D012828:Silicones; D013499:Surface Properties; D013518:Surgery, Plastic; D015625:Tissue Expansion Devices
D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D011140:Polyurethanes; D012826:Silicone Elastomers; D012828:Silicones