Experimental evaluation of bilayered human collagen as a dural substitute

Many substances have been tried as possible dural substitutes, and different tissues and materials have been evaluated for use in dural repair; however, an entirely satisfactory solution still remains to be found. The authors report an experimental study involving the closure of dural defects in dogs with a new biomaterial, resorbable bilayered human placental collagen, using two types of collagen material. These include a collagen bilayered dural substitute made of oxidized type III + I collagen layer covered by a type IV oxidized collagen film (collagen dural substitute I) and a collagen bilayered dural substitute made of oxidized type III + I collagen layer covered by a type III + I collagen film (collagen dural substitute II). Macroscopic and histological examination, performed over a period of between 15 and 180 days after implantation, showed the resorption of collagen graft and formation of a neomembrane that looked like a neodura within 3 months. No infection and no cerebrospinal fluid fistulae were noticed. Nevertheless, one slight cerebromembranous adhesion was found with collagen dural substitute II. The authors suggest that human resorbable collagen biomaterial could be used as a very satisfactory dural substitute.