Nonsurgical closure of oroantral communications with a biodegradable polyurethane foam: A pilot study in rabbits

Purpose: Surgical closure of oroantral communications (OACs) has several disadvantages. An animal study was performed to test whether OACs can be closed nonsurgically with a biodegradable polyurethane (PU) foam. Materials and Methods: In 6 rabbits, an OAC was created on both sides of the maxilla. Three rabbits were used to evaluate the animal model by applying a surgical treatment on 1 side and by leaving the other defects untreated. In the 3 other rabbits, OACs were closed with PU foam. Wound healing was evaluated clinically and histologically. Results: The surgically treated defects healed without complications. The untreated defects showed complicated and delayed healing. Healing of the foam-treated OACs was dependent on the type of foam that was used. Conclusions: The rabbit is a suitable animal model for OAC investigations. It is possible to close an OAC with a biodegradable PU foam. Further research is needed to show the most suitable composition of the PU for this purpose. (C) 2007 American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons