Two new polymers as candidates for rhinoplasty allografts: an experimental study in a rabbit model.
OBJECTIVE
This study was performed to evaluate the biocompatibility and tensile strength of two new polymeric materials--a polyfluoro ether-modified thermoplastic polyurethane urea and a polydimethyl silicone elastomer--in an experimental rabbit model.


METHODS
The two polymers were implanted inside separate subperichondrial pockets created over the auricular cartilages of 12 rabbits. A control pocket received no implant. After 3 months, the animals were painlessly sacrificed, and each site was analyzed histologically for vascular congestion, acute and chronic inflammation, and fibrosis in the tissue surrounding the implant materials.


RESULTS
There were no statistically significant differences in vascular congestion, fibrosis, or acute or chronic inflammation between the control sites and either implant site.


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that the polymers are well accepted by the tissue and remain stable during the entire study period, and that they could be very suitable materials for use in nasal reconstruction.
Department of Otolaryngology, Eskisehir Osmangazi University, Eskisehir, Turkey.
Cemal
C
Cingi
Aylin
A
Calli
Nagehan
N
Erdogmus
Caglar
C
Calli
Iskender
I
Yilgör
Emel
E
Yilgör
Cengiz
C
Bal
D000818:Animals; D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004425:Ear Cartilage / Q000601:surgery*; D020007:Implants, Experimental; D011140:Polyurethanes; D011817:Rabbits; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012225:Rhinoplasty / Q000379:methods*; D012826:Silicone Elastomers; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous
D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D011140:Polyurethanes; D012826:Silicone Elastomers; C044690:polyetherurethane urea