Evaluation of the porcine intestinal collagen layer as a biomaterial

The submucosal layer of the small intestine has been investigated as a source of collagenous tissue with the potential to be used as a biomaterial because of its inherent strength and biocompatibility. In this study we utilized a novel method for processing the tissue to generate an acellular intestinal collagen layer (ICL). This nondetergent, nonenzymatic chemical cleaning protocol removes cells and cellular debris without damaging the native collagen structure. Multilayer laminates of ICL crosslinked with a water-soluble carbodiimide (EDC) were evaluated as a tissue repair material in a rabbit abdominal hernia model. The ICL laminates provided the requisite physical properties and did not lead to adhesion formation. No immune response to the porcine collagen was detectable, and this material did not show any calcification in either the rabbit model or in the juvenile rat model.