The reaction of rabbit tissues to implanted vitreous carbon

Vitreous carbon, an allotropic form of carbon, may have a potential for the construction of implants. This paper describes experiments which have been conducted to assess tissue reactions to the material when it is inserted into bone. Implants were prepared with mean surface roughness values of 2-1 and 2-9 mum, and placed in the mandible and iliac crest of the pelvic bone of rabbits. The animals were killed after periods of up to 1 year, and the implant and surrounding tissues dissected out. The specimens were embedded in a resin and prepared for examination by light microscopy. Observations have been made on the tissue reactions in the two implantation sites, the effect of the surface textures and the significance of implant movement. The material excited very little tissue reaction and did not appear to be degraded.