Tissue engineering of high density porous polyethylene implant for three-dimensional reconstruction: an experimental study

Three-dimensional defects have been reconstructed with carved and remodelle d frameworks wrapped within vascular carriers. If sufficient vascular penet ration can be established without any change in the size and shape of an im plant, it will be possible to cover it with a skin graft and aesthetically important fine details can be obtained. To achieve this, we first prefabric ated high-density porous polyethylene implant in rabbits. Secondly, we appl ied full-thickness skin grafts over the anterior surface of the prefabricat ed implant. The implants were placed and anchored underneath the superficia l inferior epigastric artery and vein pedicle bilaterally. A total of 10 im plants were prefabricated and then grafted in five rabbits. The implants we re evaluated by perfusion scintigraphy and histological examination. Result s showed that the implants were invaded by fibroneovascular tissue, and tha t this tissue, which can be transferred as a pedicled or a free flap, was s ufficient to sustain a skin graft.