A novel minimally invasive neurosurgical cranial fixation device for improved accuracy of intraventricular catheter placement: an experimental animal study.

Background: External ventricular drain (EVD) insertion is one of the most commonly performed neurosurgical procedures. Herein, we introduce a new concept of a cranial fixation device for insertion of EVDs, that reduces reliance on freehand placement and drilling techniques and provides a simple, minimally invasive approach that provides strong fixation to minimal thickness skulls.

Methods: An experimental device for catheter insertion and fixation was designed and tested in both ex-vivo and in-vivo conditions to assess accurate cannulation of the ventricle and to test the strength of fixation to the skull.

Lymphatic Regeneration after Popliteal Lymph Node Excision and Implantation of Aligned Nanofibrillar Collagen Scaffolds: An Experimental Rabbit Model.

Lymphedema presents significant challenges to patients' quality of life, prompting the exploration of innovative treatments, such as collagen scaffolds, aimed at treating and reducing the risk of lymphedema. We aimed to evaluate the preventive and therapeutic efficacy and the lymphangiogenic potential of implanted aligned nanofibrillar collagen scaffolds (BioBridge) following the induction of secondary lymphedema in a rabbit model. Thirty rabbits were divided into treatment (G1), prevention (G2), and control (G3) groups.

Lymphatic Patterns in the Superficial Circumflex Iliac Artery Perforator Flap.

Background:  Lymphedema is a chronic condition, characterized by fluid buildup and tissue swelling and is caused by impairment of the lymphatic system. The lymph interpositional flap transfer technique, in which lymph flow is restored with a flap that includes subdermal lymphatic channels, is an option for surgical reconstruction. The superficial circumflex iliac artery perforator (SCIP) flap can be used for this purpose.

Lymphaticovenous anastomosis in rabbits: A novel live experimental animal model for supermicrosurgical training.

Background: Lymphaticovenous anastomosis is widely used in lymphedema management. Although its effectiveness in reducing edema in patients can be clinically observed, evaluating the long-term outcomes of this technique can be complex. This study established an animal model to assess the outcomes of lymphaticovenous anastomosis technique at 15 and 30-days post-surgery using indocyanine green lymphography, Patent Blue V dye injection, and histopathological examination.

Popliteal Vascular Lymph Node Resection in the Rabbit Hindlimb for Secondary Lymphedema Induction.

Lymphedema is a common condition often associated with cancer and its treatment, which leads to damage to the lymphatic system, and current treatments are mostly palliative rather than curative. Its high incidence among oncologic patients indicates the need to study both normal lymphatic function and pathologic dysfunction. To reproduce chronic lymphedema, it is necessary to choose a suitable experimental animal.

Swine Models of Aneurysmal Diseases for Training and Research.

Large animal models, specifically swine, are widely used to research cardiovascular diseases and therapies, as well as for training purposes. This paper describes two different aneurysmal swine models that may help researchers to study new therapies for aneurysmal diseases. These aneurysmal models are created by surgically adding a pouch of tissue to carotid arteries in swine.

Autophagy modulation in animal models of corneal diseases: a systematic review.

Autophagy is an intracellular catabolic process implicated in the recycling and degradation of intracellular components. Few studies have defined its role in corneal pathologies. Animal models are essential for understanding autophagy regulation and identifying new treatments to modulate its effects.

A Pre-clinical Rat Model for the Study of Ischemia-reperfusion Injury in Reconstructive Microsurgery.

Ischemia-reperfusion injury is the main cause of flap failure in reconstructive microsurgery. The rat is the preferred preclinical animal model in many areas of biomedical research due to its cost-effectiveness and its translation to humans. This protocol describes a method to create a preclinical free skin flap model in rats with ischemia-reperfusion injury.

Animal models used to study direct peripheral nerve repair: a systematic review.

Objective: Peripheral nerve repair is required after traumatic injury. This common condition represents a major public health problem worldwide. Recovery after nerve repair depends on several factors, including the severity of the injury, the nerve involved, and the surgeon's technical skills.

Laparoscopic uterine graft procurement and surgical autotransplantation in ovine model.

Currently, uterus transplantation (UTx) is a clinical option for infertile women. Over the past three decades, treating benign or malignant gynecological diseases with minimally invasive gynecological surgery has improved, providing significant advantages over conventional open surgery. This study addresses the method used for laparoscopic live-donor ovariohysterectomy and graft harvest from a sheep model.

Ischemia-reperfusion injury in a rat microvascular skin free flap model: A histological, genetic, and blood flow study.

Ischemia reperfusion injury is associated with tissue damage and inflammation, and is one of the main factors causing flap failure in reconstructive microsurgery. Although ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury is a well-studied aspect of flap survival, its biological mechanisms remain to be elucidated. To better understand the biological processes of ischemia reperfusion injury, and to develop further therapeutic strategies, the main objective of this study was to identify the gene expression pattern and histological changes in an I/R injury animal model.

Adipose-Derived Stem Cells Ameliorate Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury in a Rat Skin Free Flap Model.

Background:  Ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury is inevitable during free tissue transfers. When the period of ischemia exceeds the tissue tolerance, it causes necrosis and flap failure. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs) embedded in a collagen type I scaffold on the survival of free skin flaps to counteract I/R injury.