title: Intrauterine autogenous foetal bone transplantation for the repair of cleft-like defects in the mid-gestational sheep model.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The success of intrauterine surgery in treating non-life-threatening malformations such as myelomeningocoele, has also renewed strong interest in using this technique for treating craniofacial malformations. Nevertheless, the only experimental cleft-like defect models known, are those concerning wound healing of soft tissues.
  
  
  METHODS
  Attempts were made to repair artificial cleft-like defects including transplantation of 11 autogenous foetal bone grafts from the iliac crest or ulna, and were randomly assigned to three study groups, using the mid-gestational sheep model. In a 4th study group, lyophilized collagen, a bone-regenerating bioresorbable implant material, was used to fill the alveolar defect.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In all groups, there was a slight degree of asymmetry and thinning of the lip. Radiological studies demonstrated a variable degree of abnormality of the maxilla, ranging from none to a mild deviation. Three-dimensional computer tomography, two-dimensional maximal intensity projection findings, and histological analysis confirmed bony healing of the alveolar cleft-like defect.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Intrauterine autogenous foetal bone transplantation for the repair of cleft-like defects in the sheep is feasible. This is a reliable and valuable model toward a possible clinical application for intrauterine treatment of clefts.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Technical University Munich, Munich, Germany. n.papadopulos@lrz.tum.de
authors.forename: Nikolaos A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Papadopulos
authors.forename: Moschos A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Papadopoulos
authors.forename: Hans-Florian
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: Zeilhofer
authors.forename: Heike
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Boos
authors.forename: Julia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Henke
authors.forename: Wolf
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Erhardt
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Boettcher
authors.forename: Rudolf
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Stolla
authors.forename: Laszlo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kovacs
authors.forename: Edgar
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Biemer
mesh_terms: D020341:Absorbable Implants; D000543:Alveoloplasty; D000818:Animals; D016025:Bone Transplantation; D002972:Cleft Palate / Q000601:surgery*; D005333:Fetus / Q000601:surgery*; D020883:Hysterotomy; D023421:Models, Animal; D019647:Oral Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D012756:Sheep; D034561:Sheep, Domestic