[Comparative study of the effect of different chemical procedures on the antigenicity of allogenic transplants of the human trachea].

Replacement of long tracheal segments poses some unsolved problems, specially the undisponibility of an adequated substitution material. This study deals with some of the immunological aspects of the transplantation and preservation of human tracheal grafts. Since immunological rejection occurs in the first place as a consequence of incompatibility for class II antigens (HLA-DR, -DP and -DQ), their presence and distribution was studied using monoclonal antibodies and the immunoperoxidase method. Class II expressing cells were recognized in the mucosa and the mixed glandular tissue. Furthermore we investigated the influence of different preservation methods on the antigenicity of tracheal allografts. The results showed a total destruction of these antigens. We can conclude that chemically preserved human tracheal allografts are immunologically suitable for reconstructive surgery of the trachea.