The effect of cigarette smoking on cartilage grafts implanted to rabbit ear is investigated on New Zealand White rabbits. Eight animals for each experimental and control groups were maintained. Cartilage grafts were taken from the left ear and implanted as smaller pieces to paraspinal soft tissues bilaterally in each animal. Cartilage fragments were implanted as intact, crushed for once or twice to the six paraspinal soft tissue sites.The duration of the experiment was 12 weeks. One group was exposed to cigarette smoke in a special chamber for 4 hours a day continuously during this period. Cartilage grafts on one paraspinal site were examined microscopically. At the end of the 12th week the grafts on the other side were all excised and examined microscopically in respect to viability, sclerosis, osteoid formation and regeneration. Statistically significant differences were not found between the groups except intact and crushed grafts on the 12 week smoking model in regard to viability which was less in the crushed cartilages. Our finding in this experimental model suggests a negative effect of cigarette smoking on crushed cartilage grafts which opens a door to further experimental models and clinical observations.
Key words: Cigarette smoke, cartilage graft viability, experimental model
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