A biomechanical and morphologic analysis of capsule formation around implanted piezoelectric wafer active sensors in rats treated with cyclooxygenase-2 inhibition

Biomedical sensors can yield new information about the microenvironment of soft tissues around the devices. In the current study, wound healing in response to the placement of piezoelectric wafer active sensors (PWAS) was compared between control animals and those fed a diet with a COX-2 inhibitor over 5 months. Animals fed the experimental diet had statistically less dampening of the PWAS wave form over the entire study period compared with those fed standard chow. This finding implied a less viscous wound exudate in animals that have COX-2 inhibition. Histologically, animals fed the COX-2-inhibited diet displayed delayed maturation of the wound-healing response. However, at 5 months there was little difference histologically between the 2 groups. The use of PWAS sensors provides a new tool for investigating the physical properties of wound healing around soft tissue implants.