Abstract
Effectiveness of mesh-like interface for percutenous devices was studied with a rat model. The purpose of this study was mechanical and histological evaluation of a percutaneous device model on which a sheet with many small holes was adhered as a mesh-like interface to tissues. The model was prepared by adhering a 0.2-mm thick PMMA sheet with 10 rows × 100 columns of 200-μm laser-processed holes to a machined PMMA cylinder of 10-mm diameter and 6-mm height with a circumference groove. The sheet was placed over the groove and thus provided a mesh-like interface for mechanical attachment. Similar specimens without laser-processed holes were also prepared and used as controls. The specimens were implanted into dorsal skin of rats for 4 weeks. The attachment strength test and histological observation was carried out for the retrieved specimens. The attachment strength of the devices with mesh-like interface was measured as 3.59 ± 3.93 N (n = 10), that was statistically greater than that of controls. Histological observations revealed that collageneous fibers coming from surrounding tissues entered through the holes of the mesh-like interface of the model. This finding confirmed that the mechanical attachment of tissues was realized. Thus the effectiveness of the mesh-like interface for percutenous devices was demonstrated.
