Silastic Implants in the Ears of Cats

Abstract

Silastic was examined in experiments on cats in order to determine its inertness in the ear and to assess its possible usefulness in middle ear and oval window surgery. The results indicated that properly prepared Silastic sheeting is inert in the meso-tympanum and may have a useful part to play in tympanoplasty by promoting regeneration of mucosa and lessening of adhesions. Its usefulness in the confined spaces of the attic was less certain. Silastic sponge inserted after total stapedectomy provided inadequate protection of the internal ear and was associated with a high incidence of cochlear degeneration. Insertion of a Silastic piston after a stapes footplate fenestration was likewise associated with severe internal ear damage.