Elasticity of the spinal cord dura in the dog.

The elasticity of the spinal cord dura in the dog has been investigated histologically, in situ, and by measurement. The dura was composed of collagenous and elastic connective tissue fibers. The collagenous fibers were arranged in longitudinal bundles, straight when stretched and wavy when unstretched, with a delicate network of fine elastic fibers coursing in all directions. Transecting the cord and dura at T-5 caused a separation of 25 to 30 mm of the dura and a 15- to 20-mm gap in the cord. By means of an appropriate sequence of transections of nerve roots and denticulate ligaments within the dura, and transections of the dural sheaths and nerves outside the dura, the strain on the dura was found to be imposed by the attachments of the dural nerve sheaths from T-6 to S-7. The filum terminale was not appreciably strained. By adding weights to a suspended dura, two components of elasticity were found. For loads of 0 to 50 gm, the incremental displacements in the length were large. The elastic modulus was about 4 X 10(6) dynes/sq cm, which was comparable to that of elastic fibers. For loads of 50 to 150 gm the displacements in length were small. The elastic modulus was about 5 X 10(8) dynes/sq cm, which was comparable to that of collagenous fibers.