Angiogenesis in costal cartilage graft laryngotracheoplasty: A corrosion casting study in piglets

Objectives/Hypothesis To investigate the timing and degree of angiogenesis following anterior costal cartilage graft laryngotracheoplasty in an animal model. Study Design Randomized controlled animal model. Methods Twelve pigs were included in this study. Three control pigs were perfused with intravascular methyl methacrylate, and overlying tissue was corroded with potassium hydroxide and hydrochloric acid, leaving only a cast of vessels. Nine pigs underwent anterior costal cartilage graft laryngotracheoplasty and were survived for various lengths of time (3 for 48 hours, 3 for 10 days, 3 for 3 weeks) prior to corrosion casting. Transition zones between trachea and cartilage graft as well as the graft itself were analyzed for signs of angiogenesis (budding, sprouting, intussusception) and hypoxic or degenerative vessel features (extravasation, corrugation, circular constriction) using scanning electron microscopy. Results Angiogenesis peaked above control levels 48 hours after laryngotracheoplasty (P