A rabbit model for experimental alveolar cleft grafting.

Area of Science:

• Regenerative Medicine
• Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
• Animal Modeling

Background:

• Alveolar cleft defects present significant challenges in bone regeneration.
• Existing animal models may not fully replicate the clinical environment for testing bone graft substitutes.
• A reliable and ethical animal model is crucial for advancing tissue-engineered bone solutions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel surgical technique for creating a complete alveolar cleft defect in rabbits.
• To establish a clinically relevant animal model for evaluating tissue-engineered bone-substitute materials.
• To ensure the animal model simulates the defect environment without compromising animal welfare.

Main Methods:

• Utilized postmortem New Zealand White (NZW) rabbit skulls for surgical planning and imaging.
• Performed pilot surgeries to confirm surgical feasibility and radiological assessment using micro-computed tomography.
• Executed in vivo alveolar cleft creation surgery in 16 eight-week-old NZW rabbits.

Main Results:

• Clinical examination and imaging confirmed the successful creation of wide skeletal defects extending to the nasal mucosa in all rabbits.
• The defects accurately simulated clinical alveolar clefts.
• The surgical model was established and validated within 8 weeks post-surgery.

Conclusions:

• The developed surgical technique reliably creates a sizable and predictable alveolar cleft defect model.
• This animal model effectively simulates the clinical cleft site environment for bone grafting material testing.
• The model facilitates the evaluation of osteogenesis and healing potential of various bone grafting materials while prioritizing animal health.