Irradiated costal cartilage graft in experimental laryngotracheal reconstruction.

Autogenous costal cartilage graft has been employed successfully to correct subglottic stenosis. In an effort to reduce the morbidity and operative time, the use of irradiated homologous costal cartilage was investigated. Irradiated homologous grafting was performed to the subglottic region of 37 young New Zealand rabbits. The rabbits were sacrificed at 2.5- and 4-month intervals, and the grafts histologically examined. Fifty percent of the grafts were epithelialized and 50% revealed at least partial resorption. The percentage of grafts which resorbed were unrelated to the length of implantation. Because of the higher rate of resorption of the irradiated cartilage over autogenous fresh cartilage, the latter is still the preferred material.