Comparison of the Absorption Rate of Diced Ear Cartilage Graft with and without Perichordrium in Rabbit

Introduction & Cartilage graft is frequently used in plastic and reconstructive surgery to overcome bodily and especially facial deformities. One of the problems of this technique is cartilage absorption. Dicing and perichondrial preservation may afford better reconstructive results. In this study 28 cartilage specimens from male white New Zealand rabbits, roughly weighing 1500-2000 g and being 12-14 weeks old, were used. After standard induction of general anesthesia in rabbits, two pieces of cartilage were obtained from one ear. Two skin incisions were made on both sides of the midline back of the animal and posterior to the shoulder blades. Then one specimen was diced and inserted on one side. The second piece of the rabbit’s ear was diced in a way that perichondrium was preserved on one side. This specimen was also inserted into a subcutaneous pocket on the other side of the rabbit. After 3 months and by standard sacrifice of the animals, the two specimens were removed and reweighed. Finally the results of standard weighing of the cartilages were compared. The weights of the two groups (cartilage graft with and without perichondrium) were measured at the beginning of the study. They were not significantly different (P-value 0.21). Then the results were compared three months after the operation. That showed a significant (P-value 0.019) increase in the weights of perichondrially attached cartilage compared to the cartilage graft without perichondrium. Nevertheless, using paired t-test at the beginning of the grafting and three month after revealed no significant difference between cartilage graft with perichondrium (P-value 0.09) and cartilage graft without perichondrium (P-value 0.19). Perichondrially attached diced conchal cartilage brings about the possibility of forming and securing the whole complex. This method may be utilized as a cover in thin skinned noses, or as a graft to augment the dorsum. If we intend to use concha to augment nasal structure, by means of this technique, we can change the feeble and convoluted ear cartilage to a more versatile tool.