Radiologic and histologic characterization of silk fibroin as scaffold coating for rabbit tracheal defect repair

Objectives: To explore the feasibility of silk fibroin as a biomaterial coating used in tracheal defect reconstruction. Methods: Silk fibroin was subcutaneously embedded in three rabbits and as an artificial implant material coating to reconstruct 12 rabbits'' tracheal defects. The postoperative radiologic and histologic characterization was summarized. Results: The thickness of the fibroblasts layer covering the porus and nonporus silk fibroin film was 240.4 ± 9.9 and 302.3 ± 10.5 μm, respectively, and there was no statistical difference (P > 0.05) within each group. There was no foreign-body granuloma or macrophagocyte infiltration around the silk film. The tracheal reconstruction study showed a normal mucous membrane with normal cilial growth on the artificial implant and no visible granulation tissue in the reconstructed tracheal cavity. Conclusions: Silk fibroin is a potential new biomaterial coating for tracheal defect reconstruction. The mechanism of silk fibroin appears to promote tracheal mucous membrane, which may be related to its molecular structure and biology. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]