OBJECTIVETo explore the survivorship and character of decellularized laryngeal scaffold in pectoralis major muscle flap in canine.

METHODSEighteen donor larynx in experimental group were decellularized by perfusing sodium dodecyl sulphate. Three of them were used to detect the character of histology. The other fifteen ones were embedded in right pectoralis major muscle flap of acceptor canine. Donor larynx in control group were not perfused. Other experimental procedure was the same as experimental group. The specimens were harvested at two weeks, one month and two months after operation, respectively. Macroscopic view, histological examination and trypan blue staining were performed in the experimental group and control group.

RESULTSThe size of the specimens decreased remarkably into disappearance in control group, there was statistical significance between the experimental group and the control group (which used least significant difference t test P < 0.05). There was only little neutrophils and lymphocytes infiltrating around the laryngeal scaffold at 2 weeks in the experimental group. One month after operation, loose connective tissue begin to form around the laryngeal scaffold. After two months of transplantation, the connective tissue became thicker and the number of blood vessels increased than before. There was a large number of lymphocytes and neutrophil infiltration around the laryngeal specimens in the control group at 2nd week. The perichondrium in the control group was damaged at one month post operation. The cartilage cells could not be detected two months after surgery. The survival rate of cartilage cell between experimental group (86.8% ± 3.2%) and the control group (88.6% ± 3.1%) did not show statistical significance before implantation (χ(2) = 0.19, P > 0.05). The survival rate of cartilage cell decreased insignificantly in experimental group while the survival rate declined obviously in the control group at two weeks and one month after operation, the difference had statistical significance (χ(2) were respectively 5.52 and 20.55, P were respectively < 0.05 and < 0.01), the survival rate of cartilage cell in experimental group was (65.8% ± 2.6%) at two months after operation, while the cartilage cell all disappeared in control group.

CONCLUSIONSPerfused decellularation technique can construct a low immunogenicity laryngeal cartilage scaffold which can survive in the chest muscle package and establish a good blood supplement. The decellularized laryngeal scaffold could be used as a biological scaffold for whole laryngeal reconstruction.