Devro (United Kingdom)

Extruded collagen fibres have been shown to be a competitive biomaterial for tissue-engineering applications. Since different tissues are coming in different textures, as far as it is concerned their fibre diameter and consequently their mechanical properties, herein we aim to investigate the influence of the collagen concentration and the amount of NaCl on the properties of these fibres. Scanning electron microscopy study revealed that the substructure of the collagen fibres was the same, regardless of the treatment. The thermal properties were found to be independent of the collagen concentration or the amount of NaCl utilized (P > 0.05). An inversely proportional relationship between dry fibre diameter and stress at break was observed. Increasing the collagen concentration yielded fibres with significant higher diameter (P < 0.002), strain (P < 0.009) and force (P < 0.001) values, whilst the stress (P < 0.008) and modulus (P < 0.009) values were decreased. For the fabrication of fibres with reproducible properties, 20% NaCl was found to be the optimum. Overall, reconstituted collagen fibres were produced with properties similar to native or synthetic fibres to suit a wide range of tissue-engineering applications.

This experimental study assessed the use of a collagen-coated vicryl mesh tube to reconstruct the esophagus in growing piglets. Initial experiments, in which a segment of thoracic esophagus was excised and replaced by this prosthetic tube, resulted in all the animals succumbing to mediastinitis within the first 3-4 days. This was shown, at post-mortem, to be due to leakage of the prosthesis, secondary to acid reflux, resulting in dissolution of the prosthesis. The collagen-coated vicryl mesh was thereafter treated with glutaraldehyde and in-vitro studies showed that the glutaraldehyde-treated material exhibited a higher resistance to 0.01 M HCl at pH 2.0, when compared with untreated material. In addition, the glutaraldehyde-treated material also showed an increased resistance to digestion by bacterial collagenase. Further experiments to reconstruct the cervical esophagus in growing piglets were performed using the revised glutaraldehyde cross-linked collagen coated vicryl mesh tube. All the animals survived the procedure and the prosthesis were leakproof immediately post-operatively. The animals, however, developed severe stenosis at a mean of 11 days post-operatively. Attempts at neo-epithelialization of the graft were seen histologically. There was considerable granulation tissue and scar tissue formation on the mediastinal aspect of the graft. It is suggested that collagen coated vicryl mesh tube may find applications in the treatment of esophageal atresia only if the problem of stenosis of the prosthesis can be solved.

Collagen/vicryl (Polyglactin) composite membrane has been used to repair full-thickness defects in the urinary bladder of rabbits. The material has been shown to be biodegradable, prevent leakage of urine, and is readily replaced by collagenous scar tissue lined with a urothelium. Regeneration of smooth muscle has been observed in the repair area of some animals. The results suggest that such a material may well be of use to urologists wishing to augment contracted bladders or in the repair of bladder fistulae in human subjects, thereby avoiding the use of bowel or other material e.g. omentum.