Experimental and clinical study on the vitality of orthotopic cartilage transplants

Orthotopic cartilage transplants are performed in the course of numerous rhinosurgical operations. Precondition of a permanent success of the operation is preservation of vitality of the transplanted cartilage. Although numerous study results of heterotopic cartilage transplants exist, corresponding examinations in orthotopic transplants have not been done so far. Therefore, in 33 rabbits we did a partial submucous septumresection and put the cartilage back between the mucosal wall. After 1, 2, 3, 6, and 12 weeks, the animals were killed and the cartilage histologically proved. These results were compared to analogous human biopsies. Cartilage reintegration showed a characteristic picture. In the rabbit, the replanted cartilage was healed and stable after 3 months in each case. During reintegration, appositional growth started from the inner perichondrium. With microangiographical examinations, we were able to demonstrate that the speed of reintegration increased with decreasing distance of the cartilage cell from the blood vessels. We managed to confirm the experimental results in human cartilage biopsies.