MECHANICAL REMOVAL OF PERIODONTAL GRANULATION TISSUE

THE OBJECTIVE OF THIS EFFORT IS TO DEVELOP A MECHANICAL SURGICAL DEVICE THAT WILL BE CAPABLE OF EFFICIENTLY AND EFFECTIVELY REMOVING THE GRANULATION TISSUE ENCOUNTERED IN PERIODONTAL SURGERY. METHODS CURRENTLY UTILIZED IN THE SURGICAL REMOVAL OF GRANULATION TISSUE ARE EXTREMELY TIME CONSUMING AND LABORIOUS. FURTHER, THE INCREASED EMPHASIS ONREGENERATIVE SURGERY HAS STRAINED THE ABILITY OF THE CURRENTLY AVAILABLE ARMENTARIUM TO EFFECTIVELY REMOVE GRANULATION TISSUE. A SECONDARY OBJECTIVE IS TO REDUCE OR ELIMINATE THE AEROSOL CONTAMINATION ASSOCIATED WITH CURRENTLY USED METHODS OF GRANULATION TISSUE REMOVAL. THE SURGICAL DEVICE WILL CONSIST OF A MODIFIED BUR RUNNING IN A SUCTION TUBE. THE TUBE IS INSERTED INTO SURGICALLY ENCOUNTERED DEFECTS WHERE THE SUCTION WILL PULL THE GRANULATION TISSUE INTO THE TUBE AND THE BUR WILL GRAB AND CUT IT. THE SUCTION WILL ALSO ELIMINATE THE WATER SPRAY ANDPARTICULATE CONTAMINATION ASSOCIATED WITH ULTRASONICS CURRENTLY USED FOR TISSUE REMOVAL. THE PHASE I PROGRAM WILL CONCENTRATE ON THE FABRICATION AND IN VITRO TESTING OF THE MECHANICAL GRANULATION TISSUE REMOVER FOR ITS ABILITY TO REMOVE TISSUE EFFECTIVELY AND EFFICIENTLY. THE PHASE II PROGRAM WILL BE ORIENTED TOWARD THE EVALUATION OF THIS SURGICAL INSTRUMENT IN HUMAN CLINICALSITUATIONS.