Presence of adipose fat as a criterion of implant compatibility

An analysis of the tissue sections from previous implant studies was performed to define additional criteria which could be considered in determinations of biocompatibility of implant materials. Adult albino rabbits were implanted with biomaterials in the sacrospinalis muscle for periods of 2, 6, 18, and 54 weeks. Fourteen different implant materials were used in this study. The tissues were examined histologically for the appearance of adipose fat cells within the membrane surrounding the implant as an important criterion of tissues implant compatibility. The results were compared with other previously used criteria in judging biocompatibility of implant materials. For the most compatible nonreactive materials, adipose tissue formation within the pseudomembrane began at 6 weeks and was quite extensive at 54 weeks. The reactive materials studied by us did not exhibit this phenomenon.