The response of human tissues to carbon reinforced epoxy resin

The tissue surrounding carbon fibre reinforced epoxy resin plates applied to forearm and tibial fractures was biopsied in 32 patients at the time the plates were removed. The reaction was minimal and was compared with that in a control group of 16 similar patients in whom stainless steel plates were used. No significant histological differences were found. A series of experiments on rats, in which the histology was studied from 2 to 78 weeks, also showed that there was very little reaction to carbon fibre reinforced plastic.