Growth difference of multilayer onlay cartilage grafts in rabbit ears.

Successful survival and growth of autogenous cartilage graft has been well proved in the experimental studies of Dupertuis and Peer. However, it is still unknown whether multilayer cartilage graft has the same survival and growth as a single-layer graft. The authors studied any difference of survival and growth rate between single and multilayer cartilage grafts in rabbits. Single, double, and triple layers of autogenous cartilage grafts were inserted into three separate pockets in a single rabbit ear. The three grafts were left in place for 6 months. They performed this procedures in 10 rabbit ears. Proliferating activity of chondrocytes was measured with a method of proliferating cell nuclear antigen immunolabeling. The authors found that there were more proliferating cell nuclear antigen-positive cartilage cells in the graft than in the host bed, but no difference in weight and thickness of the graft among the three groups.