Sternum dehiscence occurring after surgeries requiring median incision of the sternum remains a current problem. New materials are needed to prevent or reduce the risk of developing sternum dehiscence. In this study, the effects of extracellular matrix (ECM)-like sternum dehiscence graft in a rabbit model were investigated. A total of 24 rabbits in three groups were used in the study. There were eight rabbits in each group. The first group was the control group, the second group was the conventional closure method, and the third group was the sternum closure graft group. Median sternotomy was applied to the rabbits in the second and third groups. Animals were sacrificed 4 weeks after surgery and sternum samples were taken. Sternum samples taken from untreated animals had normal histological appearance. Cartilage formation and fibrocyte-fibroblast activity were mild in the conventional surgery group, while moderate in the reconstruction graft group. It has been shown histopathologically that sternum closure graft accelerates bone healing (P= 0.015). It is obvious that if this graft is used clinically, it will reduce the incidence of sternum dehiscence.
Key words: Sternum, bone, fracture fixation, grafts, experimental animal models, heart surgery
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