RECONSTRUCTION OF THE ANTERIOR LARYNGEAL WALL WITH A COMPOSITE CRAFT OF DEMINERALIZED BOVINE BONE-MATRIX AND AUTOGENOUS PERICHONDRIUM - AN EXPERIMENTAL-STUDY IN ADULT-RABBITS

In this study the feasibility to reconstruct the anterior laryngeal wa ll in adult rabbits with a composite graft of demineralized bovine bon e matrix and autogenous perichondrium was investigated. It is demonstr ated that demineralized bovine bone, which is a porous biomaterial, is completely transformed into autologous cartilage, once it is implante d in a vascularized perichondrial pocket. It appeared to be possible t o reconstruct the anterior laryngeal wall in adult rabbits with this n ewly formed cartilage. As the biomaterial has been transformed into au tologous tissue it is entirely incorporated at the recipient site givi ng rise to solid connections (cartilaginous and/or fibrous) with the s urrounding tissues.