JOURNAL OF ENDODONTICS I VOL 2, NO 9.

SEPTEMBER 1976

A n in v i v o t e c h n i q u e for
b i o c o m p a t i b i l i t y s t u d i e s of m a t e r i a l s

D. L. Crane, DDS: E. I. Kaminski, PhD~ and J. B. Moser, PhD, Chicago

H a m s t e r s m a y b e u s e d for c o n t i n u o u s s t u d y of v a r i o u s
tissue r e a c t i o n s b y i m p l a n t a t i o n of p o l y e t h y l e n e t u b e s into the
c h e e k p o u c h a n d in v i v o e x a m i n a t i o n t e c h n i q u e s u s i n q
a Plexiglas platform.

Various methods have been used in Methods and M a t e r i a l s times, be reanesthetized .and their
the study of toxicity and compatibility cheek pouches and implants re-
Male and female golden Syrian
of endodontic and implantable mate- examined in vivo. This platform and
hamsters weighing 90 to 100 gm were
rials. These materials were introduced animal mounting system can be used
used. They were anesthetized with
into the peritoneum a n d / o r cutaneous and viewed conveniently under a dis-
veterinary Diabutal* by intraperitone-
or subcutaneous tissues of laboratory secting or light microscope using
al injection. The cheek pouch of the
animals by surgical incision, 1,2 and water immersion lenses for in vivo
anesthetized hamster then was
more recently by nonsurgical injec- study of microcirculation, inflamma-
stretched and attached to a Plexi-
tion-type methods using hypodermic tory response to implants, and other
glas platform as shown in Figure 1,
needles with trocars of orthodontic similar reactions.
the dimensions of the platform are
wire# "g These methods appear satis- This technique has been used suc-
shown in Figure 2.
factory; however, in vivo as well as cessfully in the study of reactions to
The implantation was accomplished
in vitro studies of tissue reactions are materials under in vitro .as well as
by placing segments (5 mm has proven
often difficult, especially when liquid in vivo conditions for varying periods
to be a convenient size) of poly-
or powdered compounds are tested. of time up to six months.
ethylenet or silicone tubing into the
This paper describes a method using When the polyethylene tubes are
lumen of a 16-gauge hypodermic
implantation of polyethylene tubes properly inserted to a depth as speci-
needle. The needle then was injected
containing test materials that can be fied, they will not fall out or be re-
intraepithelially at least 1 cm into the
used not only for evaluation of results moved by the animal. It also was ob-
outstretched cheek pouch. The im-
at the conclusion of the experiment, but served that the presence of the tubes
plant was subsequently expressed into
can be used in continuous in vivo in the cheek pouches does not inhibit
the tissues by means of a trocar of
studies recording the progress of re- their normal physiologic function.
0.040-inch orthodontic wire.
actions. The animals may, at various future

277

Fig l m l m p l a n t in place as viewed
macroscopically. Arrow indicates
zone o/ inflammation (orig mag
x3).
Summary
A method was devised for the im-
plantation of materials into the cheek
pouch of hamsters and for the in vivo
examination of the reactions to these
materials. Implantation was ac-
complished by placing segments of the
materials in plastic tubing and inject-
ing the tubing with a hypodermic
needle. In vivo examination was ac-
complished by placing the anesthetized
animal on a Plexiglas platform and
viewing the cheek pouch with a
microscope equipped with a water
immersion lens.
278
JOURNAL OF ENDODONTICS J VOL 2, NO 9, SEPTEMBER 1976
Fig 2--Mounting plat/orm
/ashioned Jrom 3/8 x 6
6-inch piece o/ Plexiglas.
Frame insert made el rub-
ber base impression ma-
terial.
*Diamond Laboratories, Inc., Des
Moines, Iowa.
tClay-Adams PE 60, Division of
Becton, Dickinson and Co., Parsippany,
NJ.
Dr. Crane is in private practice; Drs.
Kaminski and Moser are associate pro-
fessors at Northwestern University
Dental School, Chicago. Requests for re-
prints should be directed to: Dr. J. B.
Moser, 311 E Chicago Ave, Chicago,
60611.
References
1. Lange]and, K.; Guttuso, J.; Lange-
land, L.K.; and Tobon, G. Methods in
the study of biologic responses to r
dodontic materials. Tissue response to
N2. Oral Surg 27:522 April 1969.
2. Langeland, K. Root canal sealants
and pastes. Dent Clin North Am 18:309
April 1974.
3. Bhat, K.S., and Walvekar, S. pc.
sponse of subcutaneous connective tissue
to materials and drugs: a simplified
technique. J Ended 1:202 June 1975.
4. Wolfson, E.M., and Seltzer, S. Re-
action of rat connective tissue to some
gutta-percha formulations. J Ended 1:
395 Dec 1975.
5. Crane, D.; Moser, J.B.; Kaminski,
E.L; Marshall, G.W.; Sharma, B.; and
Greener, E.H. Biological and physical
properties of an experimental non-
eugenol endodontic sealer. J Dent Res
54 (special issue): abstract no. L-158
Feb 1975.