European Journal of Cardio-Thoracic Surgery, Vol 6, 144-148, Copyright © 1992 by European Association for Cardio-thoracic Surgery
The development of a light curing prosthesis for chest wall replacement
V Ambrogi, V Tsang, M Jones and P Goldstraw
Thoracic Surgery Department, Royal Brompton and National Heart Hospital, London, UK.
In conjunction with colleagues in the chemical industry, we have developed
and evaluated a new plastic prosthesis which we hope will supplant
presently used materials for chest wall replacement. We have modified the
basic chemical of a reactive resin routinely used in orthopaedic and dental
work by the inclusion of a polypropylene mesh. The resultant material is
thin enough to cut with scissors and yet supple enough to shape to fit the
defects. It is hardened by exposure to UV light and has a practical cure
time when exposed to normal light in the operating theatre. When set it is
strong and rigid. The mechanical properties have been studied with the
Flexural 3-point bend test and compared with the best of the presently
available prostheses. The inert nature of the material was studied in a
subcutaneous implant in 29 rats over 3 months. Histology has shown a lack
of reactivity. The stability in vivo was studied using the material to
replace portions of the chest wall in rabbits for up to 6 months.
Subsequent histology and in-vitro testing have proved satisfactory. The
ability of this material to withstand the dynamic stresses of the chest
wall have been studied by its implantation into the chest wall of 3
minipigs for 6 months. The material looks promising and has proved more
"user friendly" than existing prostheses for flat bone replacement. We hope
to refine its production to allow its use in humans.
