Carbon fiber reinforced carbon (CFRC) was implanted in rats as particles measuring 30 microns or 11 microns, denoted as CFRC-A and CFRC-B, respectively. Titanium (Ti) and vitreous carbon (VC) were used as controls. Ti was used with the same particle size as CFRC (Ti-A or Ti-B). The VC particles measured 11 microns. All materials were separately sterilized on ethylene oxide before use. 2. One hundred and ten female Wistar rats, weighing 180 to 220 g, were divided into six groups of 4 to 5 animals each, according the time of the observation (1, 2, 4, 8, 16 and 52 weeks). 3. Under aseptic conditions, one 3-0 curette full of CFRC-A or CFRC-B was implanted into the right triceps surae muscle in each animal and the same quantity of Ti-A (paired with CFRC-A) or Ti-B or VC (paired with CFRC-B) was implanted into the left muscle. 4. Histological analysis did not show necrosis of muscular tissue nor exudative reaction during the acute phase. 5. During the chronic phase the particles induced a chronic inflammatory infiltration containing fibroblasts, macrophages and giant cells. VC and CFRC-B induced the lowest inflammatory infiltration and CFRC-A induced the highest one. 6. We suggest that the longer carbon fiber fragments contained in CFRC-A may be responsible for this more intensive reaction, which may restrict the medical use of the preparation.
