title: Application of the skin and bone integrated pylon with titanium oxide nanotubes and seeded with dermal fibroblasts.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Direct skeletal attachment of limb prostheses is associated with high rate of transcutaneous infection and loosening of the fixture in the medullary canal prompting for careful assessment of various means for enhancing the skin-device and bone-device interface. The skin and bone integrated pylon system constitutes a technological platform for different modifications being evaluated previously.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The current study assessed the combination of nano-treatment skin and bone integrated pylon with its pre-seeding with dermal fibroblasts. We hypothesized that this combination will enhance cell interaction with skin and bone integrated pylon compared to nano-treatment and the fibroblast seeding when done separately.
  
  
  METHODS
  The feasibility and safety of in-bone implantation of the skin and bone integrated pylon with nanotubes was investigated in vitro and in vivo in the animal model.
  
  
  METHODS
  TiO2 nanotubes were fabricated on the skin and bone integrated pylon, and the fibroblasts taken from rabbit's skin were cultured on the pylons before implantation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The in vitro experiments demonstrated higher cellular density in the samples with a nanotubular surface than in the non-modified pylons used as control. There were no postoperative complications in any of the animals during the 6-month observation period. Subsequent scanning electron microscopy of the pylon extracted from the rabbit's femur showed the stable contact between the pylon and soft tissues in comparison to control samples where the patchy fibrovascular ingrowth was detected.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The promising results prompt further investigation of the integrative properties of the nanotextured skin and bone integrated pylon system seeded with dermal fibroblasts and its optimization for clinical application.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study is devoted to the development of more safe and efficient technology of direct skeletal attachment of limb prostheses aimed in improving quality of life of people with amputations.
authors.affiliation: Institute of cytology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, St. Petersburg, Russia I.P. Pavlov State Medical University, St. Petersburg, Russia Federal State Institution Albrecht Scientific and Practical Centre of Medical and Social Expertise, Prosthetics and Rehabilitation of the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection of the Russian Federation, St. Petersburg, Russia.
authors.forename: Maxim A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Shevtsov
authors.affiliation: Institute of cytology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, St. Petersburg, Russia.
authors.forename: Natalia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Yudintceva
authors.affiliation: Institute of cytology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, St. Petersburg, Russia.
authors.forename: Miralda
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Blinova
authors.affiliation: Institute of cytology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, St. Petersburg, Russia.
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pinaev
authors.affiliation: I.P. Pavlov State Medical University, St. Petersburg, Russia.
authors.forename: Oleg
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Galibin
authors.affiliation: Institute of cytology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, St. Petersburg, Russia.
authors.forename: Igor
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Potokin
authors.affiliation: Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA.
authors.forename: Ketul C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Popat
authors.affiliation: Tufts University School of Medicine, Stoughton, MA, USA mpitkin@tuftsmedicalcenter.org.
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pitkin
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001186:Artificial Limbs; D057005:Bioengineering / Q000379:methods; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000601:surgery; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000166:cytology / Q000637:transplantation*; D023421:Models, Animal; D043942:Nanotubes; D016348:Osseointegration / Q000502:physiology*; D011474:Prosthesis Design / Q000379:methods*; D019919:Prosthesis Implantation / Q000379:methods; D011817:Rabbits; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012867:Skin; D054457:Tissue Scaffolds / Q000737:chemistry*; D014025:Titanium / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: C009495:titanium dioxide; D014025:Titanium
keywords: Nanotubes; TiO2; direct skeletal attachment; fibroblast; skin and bone integrated pylon