INVITRO EPITHELIZATION OF A HOLLOW VISCUS PROSTHESIS

THIS PROPOSED STUDY IS DESIGNED TO DEVELOP AND EVALUATE A METHOD OF EPITHELIZING, IN VITRO, A COMPOUND HOLLOW VISCUS PROSTHESIS CONSISTING OF AN OUTER RIGID POROUS MATERIAL AND A BIODEGRADABLE INNER LAYER. HEALING OF THE PROSTHESIS IN THE WALL OF THE URINARY BLADDERWILL BE EVALUATED IN DOGS. THE PROSTHESIS WILL BE EVALUATEDFOR URINE LEAKAGE, INFECTION, EXTRUSION, REJECTION, INCOR- PORATION INTO THE URINARY BLADDER WALL, AND CALCULUS FORMA- TION BY CYSTOGRAPHY, GROSS PATHOLOGY, AND LIGHT MICROSCOPY. THE SUCCESSFUL DEVELOPMENT OF A PROSTEHETIC URINARY TRACT WOULD HAVE EXTENSIVE COMMERCIAL APPLICABILITY EITHER AS A COMPLETE SYSTEM OR AS INDIVIDUAL COMPONENTS. A PROSTHETIC BLADDER WOULD BENEFIT TO THE MORE THAN 10,000 PATIENTS REQUIRING CYSTECTOMY ANNUALLY.