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A Pig Model

Syed H. Kamil, MD; Roland D. Eavey, MD; Martin P. Vacanti, MD; Charles A. Vacanti, MD; Christopher J. Hartnick, MD

Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2004;130:1048-1051.

Objective  To evaluate the feasibility of using tissue-engineered cartilage for laryngotracheal reconstruction in the pig model.

Design  Auricular cartilage was harvested from 3 young swine. The cartilage was digested, processed, and suspended and a cell culture was obtained. The cells were then suspended in 3 mL of a 30% solution of a biodegradable polymer (Pluronic F-127) (polyethylene oxide/polypropylene oxide copolymer) at a cellular concentration of 50 x 10⁶ cells/mL. This suspension was then implanted subcutaneously into each pig's dorsum. Eight weeks after implantation, the cartilage was harvested with the surrounding perichondrial capsule. An anterior cartilage graft laryngotracheal reconstruction was performed. Bronchoscopy was performed at 3 postoperative weeks to demonstrate airway patency. The animals were killed at 3 months, and specimens were obtained for histological analysis.

Setting  An animal research facility.

Subjects  Three young Yorkshire swine.

Results  All 3 pigs survived to the 3-month postoperative interval with no evidence of stridor or airway distress. Interval bronchoscopy revealed a normal patent airway with a mucosalized graft. Histopathologic analysis revealed incorporation of the tissue-engineered cartilage graft in the cricoid area, which correlated with results of bronchoscopic evaluation.

Conclusion  Tissue-engineered auricular cartilage served as a viable graft in the pig model and might be an alternative cartilage source for laryngotracheal reconstruction.

From the Department of Otolaryngology, Pediatric Otolaryngology Service, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary (Drs Kamil, Eavey, and Hartnick), the Department of Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital (Dr M. Vacanti), the Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital (Dr C. Vacanti), and Harvard Medical School, Boston. The authors have no relevant financial interest in this article.