Transplantation of epiphyseal plate allografts between animals of different ages.

The purpose of the experiment was to study growth of epiphyseal plate allografts after transplantation into subjects of a different age, thus preparing for future transplantation of epiphyseal plate or extremity allografts in children. Microvascular transplantation of proximal tibial epiphyseal plate allografts was performed in skeletally immature New Zealand White female rabbits. The growth of 9-week-old epiphyseal plate allografts was examined in both 9-week-old and 17-week-old recipients, as was the growth of 17-week-old epiphyseal plate allografts in 17-week-old recipients. Immunosuppression was with cyclosporine (Cyclosporine A). Successful transplants were confirmed with 99mTc-MDP isotope scanning, and growth was evaluated with weekly standardized radiographs until death. Growth rate was found to depend on the age of the donor epiphyseal plate and was independent of the age of the recipient. This has clinical implications for the procurement of donor tissue in potential transplantation of epiphyseal plate allografts in children.