title: Use of titanium mesh in laryngotracheal reconstruction: an experimental study on rabbits.
abstract: Titanium mesh may be an alternative material to be used in laryngotracheal reconstruction. Twenty New Zealand rabbits were divided into two groups. Group A underwent laryngotracheoplasty with titanium mesh-buccal mucosa-muscle complex, and Group B received auricular cartilage grafts. All animals survived without complications. The animals were killed at 60 days, and laryngotracheal regions were evaluated. There was no subglottic collapse at physiologic and supraphysiologic negative airway pressures in Group A and mild-moderate collapse in Group B. Macroscopically the average antero-posterior and lateral diameters were not statistically different among two groups. Light microscopic examination revealed no fibrosis, necrosis or new cartilage formation in both groups. Inflammation and granulation were more pronounced in Group A. The lumens in both groups were moderately obstructed. Reconstruction of the upper airway with titanium mesh may be used in very selected cases where autologous grafting materials are inadequate and unsatisfactory.
authors.affiliation: Otorhinolaryngology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Namik Kemal University, Tekirdag, Turkey. hmuratyener@gmail.com
authors.forename: Murat
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yener
authors.forename: Gul Ozbilen
authors.initials: GO
authors.lastname: Acar
authors.forename: Harun
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Cansiz
authors.forename: Büge
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Oz
authors.forename: Engin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Cigerciogullari
authors.forename: Oktay
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Seymen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002356:Cartilage / Q000473:pathology / Q000637:transplantation; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D058753:Laryngoplasty / Q000379:methods*; D007829:Laryngostenosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D011817:Rabbits; D013524:Surgical Flaps; D013526:Surgical Mesh; D020858:Tissue and Organ Harvesting / Q000379:methods; D014025:Titanium; D014132:Trachea / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D014025:Titanium