Generation of Cartilage from Auricular and Rib Free Perichondrial Grafts Around a Self-Reinforced Polyglycolic Acid Mould in Rabbits

The generative potential of free perichondrial grafts from rabbit auricular and rib cartilage around a self-reinforced polyglycolic acid (SR-PGA) rod was examined in eight growing rabbits. A 15 × 15 mm perichondrial graft was dissected away from the posterior side of each auricular cartilage. One graft was wrapped around a 1.1 × 10 mm SR-PGA rod and the other served as a control and was shaped into a tube without an implant. Fifth rib cartilages were then resected subperichondrially on both sides. The remaining perichondrium on the other side was wrapped around a 1.1 × 10 mm SRPGA rod, while the other served as a control and was shaped into a tube without an implant. All the grafts were placed inside pectoralis major muscles. Grafts were biopsied six weeks postoperatively. Neocartilage formation was seen in all grafts with one exception on both the implant and control sides. It formed a tube-like structure around the implant in four cases after grafting of auricular perichondrium and in three cases after grafting of rib perichondrium. New bone formation was also observed. SR-PGA implants did not seem to disturb the generative potential of perichondrium.