Turkish Neurosurgery 2013 , Vol 23 , Num 3
Feasibility Study on Repair for Cranial Defect of Immaturity
Chunyang ZHANG, Zhigang WANG, Ruicheng SHI, Shijun FENG, Jianying SUN, Weizhi WANG, Li SU, Anlong ZHANG
The First Affiliated Hospital of Baotou Medical School, Department of Neurosurgery, Baotou, China DOI : 10.5137/1019-5149.JTN.6983-12.1 AIM: To evaluate use of a titanium mesh to fill cranial defects in growing animals, as a model for juvenile humans.

MATERIAL and METHODS: Thirty two-month-old Seghers pigs were evenly assigned to one of three groups: controls, a defect group (unrepaired 5 × 5 cm lesion), and a repair group (repaired 5 × 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.

CONCLUSION: 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. Keywords : Titanium, Reticulum, Repair, Restriction, Growth period

Corresponding author : Chunyang Zhang, 0100163@163.com