Irradiated homologous costal cartilate for facial contour restoration.

This study represents a retrospective evaluation of 145 implants of irradiated homologous costal cartilage used over a three-year period for facial contour restoration in a variety of anatomic sites. In this series, the immediate complication rate was 5.5%, the late complication rate was 2.1% and the partial resorption rate was 1.4%. The infection rate for the implants inserted intraorally onto the face of the maxilla did not have a statistically significant difference from the infection rate for the entire series, thus demonstrating that this implant is not easily infected. These results establish irradiated homologous costal cartilage as a valid implant material.