Investigation of the Histological and Functional Effects of Calcium Phosphate Bioceramics Used in Nasal Septal Surgery in A Rabbit Model

<strong>Objective:</strong> Calcium phosphate cement and hydroxyapatite are biomaterials used in rhinoplasty as augmentation materials. However, there is limited information about its use in nasal septal surgery. In our study, we aimed to investigate the histological and functional effects of calcium phosphate and hydroxyapatite mixture plates used in nasal septal surgery in a rabbit model. Abant Izzet Baysal University&nbsp; <strong>Material and Methods: </strong>Three groups of eight New Zealand rabbits were used. In all groups, 1x0.5 cm cartilage was removed from the anterior part of the septal cartilage. In Group 1, this cartilage was placed back on the septum without any other intervention. In Group 2, a hydroxyapatite-calcium phosphate plate was placed on the septum, which was about the same size. In Group 3, it was placed back to the septum side by side with a hydroxyapatite-calcium phosphate plate. During the experimental period of three months, intermittence was examined, and the findings were recorded. At the end of the experiment, all subjects were sacrificed to perform the macroscopic and histological evaluation. <strong>Results:</strong> In Group 1, the inflammation findings were very mild or nonexistent. In Groups 2 and 3, there was more inflammation compared to Group 1. The difference in the severity of inflammation between Group 1 and the other 2 groups was statistically significant (p=0.005). Inflammatory findings were more prominent in Group 3 than in Group 2. However, the difference in the severity of inflammation between these two groups was not statistically significant (p=0.161). Macroscopic examination revealed that the hydroxyapatite-calcium phosphate grafts were rejected in Group 2. In Group 3, in which hydroxyapatite-calcium phosphate and cartilage were used together, five grafts out of eight were rejected. There was no statistically significant difference between Groups 2 and 3 in terms of graft material rejection at the end of the first, second, and third months (p=0.50, p=0.31, p=0.10). <strong>Conclusion: </strong>The data in our study show that the use of hydroxyapatite-calcium phosphate cement as an allograft in a rabbit septum is quite difficult. Further animal experiments would be illustrative, especially by using thinner and more porous hydroxyapatite and calcium phosphate mixture plates.