IMMUNOLOGICAL REACTIONS AGAINST COLLAGEN

Despite the increasing use of materials containing bovine collagen in plastic surgery, there is a lack of systemic studies on their immunoge nic potential, especially when they are used repeatedly. In this paper , it is shown in rats that the second implantation leads to histologic ally recognizable cellular reaction, the third to clinical symptoms, a nd after the fourth, there is a much increased reaction. Oral administ ration of bovine collagen accelerated and increased the reaction. This also holds true for porcine collagen. Antibodies against collagen cou ld be detected in all groups. These results demonstrate that even lyop hilized collagen induced strong immunological reactions, which may als o occur in the clinical situation, especially since presensitization b y the enteral route cannot be ruled out in most cases. This implies th at prior to the repeated use of collagen, studies on the specific reac tivity pattern of the patient should be performed.