[The reaction of the human middle ear mucosa to the implantation of plastics. A light and electronmicroscopic study].

We studied the middle ear mucosal reaction to implanted plastic materials. The implants were removed from noninfected middle ears from 9 months to 20 years postoperatively. In most cases the mucosa was normal, and invariably the implant was covered by a thick fibrous capsule. Beneath the fibrous layer and within the pores epitheloid cells and giant cells, both with finger-like projections, were found. In addition, the pores of the prostheses contained vacuolated cells, macrophages and histiocytes in various developmental stages. These findings are typical of foreign body reaction and chronic resorptive processes.