Mesenchymal stem cells and nanofibers as scaffolds for the regeneration of thyroid cartilage.

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS: The aim of this study has been to establish an alternative approach in the form of regeneration of the thyroid cartilage.

STUDY

DESIGN

Four 1-month old pigs (Sus scrofa) were used (divided into 3 groups) and submitted to general anesthetic to perform cervictomy with exposure of the thyroid cartilage in a total of 12 (twelve) samples.

METHOD: A resection of 4.0 cm(2) of cartilage was carried out in the right upper region and in the left upper and lower left region of the cartilage, where a scaffold with or without stem cells was implanted. In the left lower region, no biomaterial was implanted and the defect was left open (lesion control [L]).

RESULTS

The average extension of the cartilaginous neoformation of L group was 136.3 μm (± 9.6) and 387.7 μm (± 43.2) in the scaffold (SCA) group, presenting a significant statistical difference (P < 0.01). The analysis carried out on the lesion site sections of the cartilage of the larynx of the animals from the SCA group + mesenchymal stem cells (SCA+MSC) showed an average of the extension of neocartilage of 825.4 μm (± 122.1), showing a more extensive area of neocartilage when compared to the other groups. These results demonstrated a high significantly statistical difference (P < 0.001) when compared with the L and SCA groups.

CONCLUSION

In 100% of the cases for which SCA+MSCs were used, a significant success in the cartilage growth and closing of the lesion in the thyroid cartilage was obtained compared to the other two groups for which MSCs were not used.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: N/A.