Tissue reactions to polyethylene implants with different surface topography

This study investigates the importance of implant surface topography on sof t tissue response. The tissue response in the rat abdominal wall to discs o f low density polyethylene with smooth to coarse surfaces was evaluated aft er one, six or 12 weeks. Capsule thickness and immunohistochemical quantifi cation of monocytes-macrophages were used as measures. The macrophage speci fic antibody ED1 was used for identification of newly recruited macrophages and the ED2 antibody for the mature tissue macrophages. The smoother surfa ces gave a thicker capsule than the rougher surfaces, and at one week also larger total numbers of cells and ED1 positive macrophages at interface. Th e capsule thickness increased over time for the smooth and intermediate sur face topographies. In contrast, the cell numbers generally decreased over t ime. In conclusion, a coarse surface elicited lesser tissue reaction compar ed with a smooth surface, (C) 1999 Kluwer Academic Publishers.