Acellular porcine intestinal submucosa as fascial graft in an animal model: Applications for revision tympanoplasty

OBJECTIVE: To demonstrate regeneration of muscle fascia appropriate for future harvest with the use of acellular porcine intestinal submucosa in a rat model.STUDY DESIGN: Animal cohort study.SETTING: Tertiary care academic medical center.SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Sixteen male Sprague-Dawley rats underwent excision of rectus abdominis muscle fascia. A sheet of acellular porcine intestinal submucosa was placed in the fascia harvest defect. Graft and underlying muscle were harvested at three-, six-, and nine-week intervals. Histologic examination, including immunohistology for anti-von Willebrand factor, was performed at each timepoint. Additional selected specimens were subjected to latex vascular perfusion casts to examine vessel growth patterns within the graft.RESULTS: Gross examination revealed a new tissue plane, indistinguishable from surrounding native fascia. Histology revealed an initial inflammatory response within the graft. Progressive influx of native tissue was noted over successive timepoints. Vi...