The natural latex extracted of the Rubber Tree, has properties to induce characteristics of tissue vascularization and regeneration that had been comproved in different species and tissues. This study tested the biocompatibility of three latex membranes in six dogs. Two of these membranes have not been used yet, while one of them has been tested in previous studies. Membranes were implanted between the cutaneous and the rectum of the abdomen muscles by a surgical procedure. In a forty five days period, the animals were evaluated for pain, clinical and macroscopic alterations of the membranes and, after the membranes were removed in order to submit them to histological exams. Mechanical traction tests were realized in control membranes to measure deformation and resistance. The results indicated that membranes are compatible, and able to substitute the muscular sheath in dogs, excepting membrane 2, because of it rejecting characteristics.
latex membranes; rabbits; biocompatibilities
