Soft Tissue Response of the Rabbit Larynx to Gore-Tex Implants

Abstract

The use of Gore-Tex (expanded polytetrafluoroethylene) for medialization laryngoplasty has recently been described. Clinically, this laryngeal implant has performed well, but no animal studies evaluating the use of this implant in the larynx have been published. This study examines the gross and histologic response of the rabbit larynx to the Gore-Tex implant. Five rabbits underwent bilateral medialization with the Gore Thyroplasty Device. The vocal folds were left innervated and mobile. After 6 months, the rabbits were painlessly sacrificed and the implants were evaluated by gross inspection and histologic examination. No gross changes to the glottis occurred, and the implants were easily removed with gentle traction. A modest inflammatory response with a thin fibrous capsule was present around the implant. Foreign body giant cells were observed at the interface of the implant with the tissue. No migration or extrusion of the implant was observed. These results suggest that Gore-Tex is biocompatible in the rabbit larynx.