Potential of Bacterial Cellulose in Reconstructive Surgery of Body Integumentary System: Preliminary Studies in Animals

Abstract

The aim of the study is to present the preliminary results of the in vivo application of Komagataeibacter xylinum E25 bacterial cellulose (BC) as a replacement material for produced defects during operations. Three pigs (sus scrofa domestica) had the same defects in the ear cartilage (4 × 4 cm) and in the rectus abdominis muscle (6 × 10 cm) with BC membranes implanted into them. The time of observation of the condition of the animals was 3 months. Implantation sites did not show clinical signs of complications in the form of inflammation or necrosis. Histologically, a normal scar was produced as a result of the material healing into the host’s body. In one case, no residual implant material was found at the site of implantation, and the remodeled scar confirmed healing. No systemic inflammatory reaction was observed in any of the animals. The host organism’s reaction to the bacterial cellulose allows us to believe that it meets the expectations as a material that can be widely used in reconstructive surgery. Nevertheless, this requires further research on a larger group and also using other foreign bodies. The next step would be an experiment on a group consisting of people.

Keywords

• bacterial cellulose
• reconstructive surgery
• body integumentary system
• animal studies