Application of Banked Autologous Mucosal Cells to Graft Large Intraoral Mucosal Defects

Purpose: This study was aimed to investigate the conditions that affect the generation of autologous cultured mucosal grafts (CMG) to promote their clinical application for large intraoral defects, following surgical excision of mucosal pathology. Specific parameters studied were the effect of patient's age and cell banking on the in vitro development of CMG, and on their clinical performance in vivo.Patients and methods: Twelve patients (10 M, 2F; mean age of 50.7+/-14.3 years) with intraoral mucosal pathologies were included in this study. Autologous mucosal cells derived from 0.2-0.5 cm(2) biopsies, taken from clinically normal oral mucosa, were cultured in vitro and banked, as cell suspensions, in liquid nitrogen. Two to three weeks before the scheduled surgery, multilayered CMG were developed according to the anticipated area of the excised tissue (8-100 cm(2)), from banked or proliferating autologous cells (for 7/12 and 5/12 patients, respectively). Following excision, CMG sheets were placed on the mucosal defects and anchored to the adjacent tissue with sutures, which were removed a week later.Results: Both the production of CMG, and their clinical performance were unaffected significantly by patient's age. Three weeks postoperatively, the grafted sites were smooth and keratinized, without infection or scar contraction, with complete and comparable healing among the two groups, treated with banked and non-banked cells.Conclusion: This study indicates that CMG is a proper dressing for large intraoral mucosal defects of various etiologies, for a large range of patients' age, using either banked or non-banked cells.