An optical and electron microscopy study of materials implanted in the rat middle ear. I Carbon

Glassy carbon implants in the middle ear of the rat model appear well tolerated over periods of 6 months. The implants are rapidly covered with a fibrous capsule resulting in some bonding to the surrounding tissue. At a later stage (12 wk), further development of this bond takes place through growth of bone onto the implant surface from adjoining bone lamellae. No adverse tissue reactions were found in the histological sections produced.