title: Survival of block and fascial-wrapped diced cartilage grafts: an experimental study in rabbits.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cartilage grafts have become an integral part in plastic surgery. Classic autogenous cartilage harvesting techniques are associated with significant donor- and recipient-site morbidity. The use of cartilage micrografts wrapped in a sleeve was first developed to decrease the complication rates of block cartilage grafts. The aim of this study was to compare the resorption rate of solid block cartilage graft and diced cartilage wrapped in fascia graft in rabbits.
  
  
  METHODS
  In 12 rabbits, 1 solid block cartilage and 1 diced graft wrapped in fascia were implanted in subcutaneous pockets. By the end of the fourth month, the cartilage implants were dissected free and photographed and weighed exactly. Then specimens were stained with hematoxylin and eosin to determine their architectural characteristics.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the solid block cartilage graft group, the means ± standard deviation preimplant weight values were 5.34 ± 1.68. The weight was changed to 7.74 ± 3.26. The change was not statistically significant. In diced cartilage grafts wrapped in fascia, the means ± standard deviation preimplanted weight values were 8.13 ± 1.83. These values were changed to 2.79 ± 1.97, meaning statistically significant resorption of diced cartilage grafts wrapped in fascia (P < 0.001). In histologic examination, block cartilage grafts showed viable cartilage but diced cartilage grafts wrapped in fascia yielded fibrosis and inflammatory cell infiltration.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The amplitude of resorption of the diced cartilage wrapped in fascia is considerable compared with one-piece block grafts. It may be anticipated that the enthusiasm for this technique will decline once the long-term results of pertaining clinical studies are available.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Burn Research Center, Hazrat Fatemeh Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. mj-fatemi@sina.tums.ac.ir
authors.forename: Mohammad Javad
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Fatemi
authors.forename: Mohammad Esmaeel
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Hasani
authors.forename: Shahram
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rahimian
authors.forename: Hamid
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bateni
authors.forename: Mirsepehr
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pedram
authors.forename: Seyed Jaber
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Mousavi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002356:Cartilage / Q000637:transplantation*; D005205:Fascia / Q000637:transplantation*; D006085:Graft Survival; D011817:Rabbits; D016378:Tissue Transplantation / Q000379:methods