[Experimental study of a biological dural graft in rabbits].
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the safety and efficacy of a dural graft prepared using porcine membrane in duraplasty.


METHODS
Eighteen New Zealand rabbits were randomly divided into groups A (n=4), B (n=4), C (n=5), and D (n=5) sacrificed 3, 14, 30 and 90 d after duraplasty, respectively. Each animal underwent bilateral parietal craniectomy behind the coronal suture and beside the midline to expose the dura, which was cut on the right side and substituted with the dural graft. The exposed dura on the left was kept intact as control. The rabbits were observed for WBC counts before the operation and before sacrifice by transcardiac formalin perfusion, respectively. The meninges and brain tissues were histologically examined after sacrifice.


RESULTS
The WBC count varied little after the operation (P>0.05). Microscopic examination demonstrated tissue repair on both the implantation side and control side, without graft adhesion to the cortical surface. In group A, a large number of leukocytes were seen gathering on the lateral dura, suggesting acute tissue repair. In group B, endothelial cells covering the inner surface of the graft could be seen. Fibroblasts and fibrocytes were seen in the grafts between collagen fibers in group C, and in group D, fibroblasts and fibrocytes increased between the collagen fibers and the suture healed.


CONCLUSIONS
The dura graft is safe and applicable for dural defect repair.
Liu
Peng
P
Department of Neurosurgery, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China.
Huang
Sheng-ping
SP
Qi
Song-tao
ST
Zhang
Yong-ming
YM
D000818:Animals; D001705:Bioprosthesis; D004388:Dura Mater / Q000601:surgery*; D019736:Prostheses and Implants; D011817:Rabbits; D011897:Random Allocation