Experimental reconstitution of the cat's thoracic wall with dog conchal cartilage implant preserved in 98% glycerin

Twelve adult cats were divided in groups GI and GII with the objective of testing a dog auricular cartilage implant conserved in 98% glycerin as an alternative to repair thoracic wall defects. All animals were submitted to a resection of the medial portion of the thorax by removal of the 7th, 8th and 9th ribs and posterior cartilage implantation. GI had the adjacent musculature preserved and in GII cat's had it removed. The animals were clinically evaluated in the post operative period and after sixty days submitted to euthanasia for microscopic evaluation of the implanted local. Proliferation of granulation tissue and neomorph over the implant was observed in all animals and some had lung and diaphragm adherence. The heterograft cartilage implant conserved in 98% glycerin can be used for reconstruction of the thoracic wall when defects do not exceed the size of three ribs. In sixty days the cat's cartilage implant will be substituted by scar tissue with no signs of rejection.

toracic wall; conchal cartilage; cat