title: Feasibility study on repair for cranial defect of immaturity.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate use of a titanium mesh to fill cranial defects in growing animals, as a model for juvenile humans.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty two-month-old Seghers pigs were evenly assigned to one of three groups: controls, a defect group (unrepaired 5 x 5 cm lesion), and a repair group (repaired 5 x 5 cm lesions). Histological evaluations and morphological measurements were conducted to compare the groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Two pigs in the defect group died. New bone formation was evident in the cranial lesions of pigs in the defect and repair groups. There were no differences in histological observations (p = 0.081), brain weight (p = 0.063), or indexed brain circumference measurements (p = 0.066) between the groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Closure of cranial defects with a titanium mesh did not limit growth of the cranium or cause abnormal central nervous system development. While there was new bone growth in the cranial defects, the bone was not sufficiently strong to withstand external trauma.
authors.affiliation: The First Affiliated Hospital of Baotou Medical School, Department of Neurosurgery, Baotou, China. 0100163@163.com
authors.forename: Chunyang
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Zhigang
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Ruicheng
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.forename: Shijun
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.forename: Jianying
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Weizhi
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Su
authors.forename: Anlong
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D019736:Prostheses and Implants; D012886:Skull / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D013552:Swine; D014025:Titanium; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D014025:Titanium