Tissue response of several polymeric materials implanted in the rat middle ear.

Implantation of three different polymeric composite materials in the rat middle ear showed that the nylon prosthesis was encapsulated more rapidly than the two poly(methyl methacrylate) based implants. Several PMMA based implants were only partially covered at the 6 mnth stage by a tenuous capsule made up of collagen and a mixed inflammatory cell infiltrate. The nylon material was covered at the 3 mnth stage with a thin capsule and healthy fibroblasts.