A Stable Large Animal Model for Dural Defect Repair with Biomaterials and Regenerative Medicine

The use of biomaterials and regenerative medicine has been well recognized as a promising means to repair dural defects. However, there have been few reports on preclinical large animal models of dural defects, which are crucial to evaluate the performances of dural repair materials. In addition, the methods of preparing animal models vary among studies. To ensure high-quality research results and prevent unnecessary financial losses, a standard method of animal model preparation needs to be established. In this study, we designed and evaluated three different surgeries (methods A, B, and C) involving different temporal muscle and skull incision techniques to prepare beagle dog dural defect model. It was found that method C was associated with an appropriate surgical duration and better postoperative recovery without obvious complications compared with methods A and B. Moreover, the surgical approach used in method C avoided the potentially dense vascular region in the cranial midline and retained an adequate blood supply for the temporal muscle. Our results suggest that method C is a safe and effective procedure that allows the preparation of a stable large animal model for studies on dural repair materials and regenerative medicine.