FIG. 5.

Photomicrographs of healed TMs at 28 days after grafting. A normal TM shows a thin uniform structure (A, D). At 28 days, TMs treated with SFS (B, E) and ACS (C, F) had a normal trilaminar structure, consisting of dense and well-organized collagen bundles in the CT layer. TMs treated with paper patch (G, J) and Gelfoam (H, K) remained thickened in the healed area with loose and disorganized collagen fibers in the middle layer. TMs in the control group (I, L) remained thick with an atypical structure and regions of irregular collagen fibers. At 14 days, all TMs except the SFS group were significantly thickened compared with the normal TM (M). By 28 days, TM thickness in the SFS and ACS groups showed no significant differences compared with the normal TM (N). (*p<0.05, **p<0.01). Arrowheads indicate the residual scaffolds. H&E and Masson trichrome staining. Scale bars: 50 μm.