[The effect of fat tissue autotransplantation on the changes in tissue surrounding the dura mater following laminectomy].

Problems, probably caused by the adhesion of scar tissue to the dural sac or nerve roots, may appear after a laminectomy in which resection was required. In our department, free auto-fatty tissue transplantation has been clinically performed since 1979 in an effort to prevent this phenomenon, and favorable therapeutic results have been obtained. In the present study, the possible influence of extradural tissue on the dura mater over certain periods was investigated in post-laminectomized adult rabbits. Additionally, the inhibitory effect of transplanted fatty tissue on adhesion was examined. In the laminectomy-only subject group, a remarkable development of granulating tissue was observed. This tissue subsequently adhered to the dura mater, often resulting in a delayed repair of the dura mater and its surrounding tissue. In the fatty tissue transplanted group, on the other hand, the transplanted fat preserved its composition morphologically and rapid degeneration was deterred even in free grafts, so scar formation was inhibited at the site of the laminectomy. In comparison with the laminectomy-only group, furthermore, the repair of the tissue surrounding the dura mater was accelerated by the transplanted fatty tissue, beginning in the early postoperative stage.