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Updated: Aug 20, 2026
A Rabbit Model of Durable Transgene Expression in Jugular Vein to Common Carotid Artery Interposition Grafts
Published on: September 10, 2018
[Experimental study of a biological dural graft in rabbits]
Peng Liu1, Sheng-ping Huang, Song-tao Qi
1Department of Neurosurgery, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China.
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.
Conclusion:
The dura graft is safe and applicable for dural defect repair.
