Survival analysis of rats implanted with porous titanium tracheal prosthesis.
BACKGROUND
Surgical treatment of a malignancy in the trachea may lead to a long resection that has to be reconstructed with an artificial prosthesis. However, most of the available prostheses encounter inflammatory rejection and mechanical constraint problems. To improve tracheal rehabilitation a porous titanium prosthesis was developed. The aim of this study was to test the biocompatibility of this novel material.


METHODS
Seventeen rats had a partial tracheal prosthesis made of porous titanium inserted in the cervical trachea. The histologic analysis of the tissue surrounding the prosthesis was performed in 11 surviving animals after a period of 15 to 41 days.


RESULTS
Fibroblast colonization of titanium pores and a ciliary cylindrical epithelial layer developed on the endoluminal side of the prosthesis and the inflammatory reaction was minimal.


CONCLUSIONS
The results of this short-term study validate, from surgical and histologic standpoints, the usefulness of a porous titanium tracheal prosthesis.
Schultz
Philippe
P
Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Hautepierre Hospital, Centre de Recherche Odontologique, Strasbourg, France.
Vautier
Dominique
D
Chluba
Johanna
J
Marcellin
Luc
L
Debry
Christian
C
D000818:Animals; D008297:Male; D016062:Porosity; D019736:Prostheses and Implants; D011474:Prosthesis Design; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D016019:Survival Analysis; D014025:Titanium; D014132:Trachea
D014025:Titanium