The survival of costal cartilage graft in laryngotracheal reconstruction.

Acquired subglottic stenosis in children is a difficult problem. One of the successful procedures used to correct this condition is an autogenous costal cartilage graft to the subglottis and upper trachea. The fate of the cartilage graft is not known, despite the good results of the procedure. Prompted by recovery of viable cartilage graft from two patients previously operated upon by this procedure, we performed autogenous costal cartilage grafting to the subglottic area of fifty young New Zealand rabbits, with inspection of these grafts at 2- and 4-month postoperative intervals. The purpose of this study is to prove the survival of autogenous costal cartilage grafts in the subglottic area. Gross and histologic examination 2 and 4 months postoperatively showed viable cartilage as well as lining of the graft with respiratory epithelium in the majority of cases.