title: Survival analysis of rats implanted with porous titanium tracheal prosthesis.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Hautepierre Hospital, Centre de Recherche Odontologique, Strasbourg, France.
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Schultz
authors.forename: Dominique
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Vautier
authors.forename: Johanna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chluba
authors.forename: Luc
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Marcellin
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Debry
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: D014025:Titanium