didier at eng.umd.edu (Didier A. Depireux) wrote:
>>During surgery on a mammal, we perform a small (5mm by 5mm) craniotomy,
>and we want to expose the underlying cortex for single electrode recordings.
>For this, we have to incise and reflect the dura, but I am not satisfied
>with our method. Basically, we take very fine forceps and iridectomy
>scissors, rub the forceps on the dura until, at some point, something
>in the dura actually gets caught by the forceps, lift the dura, cut it
>and further resect it with the scissors.
>When you do that, it really feels like you are rubbing against the dura
>until something breaks on it, and you use the slit you just made to lift
>the dura, pia and arach. membrane and cut through the meninges. It seems
>to me that there should be a better way.
>What do people on this group do when they are faced with having to expose
>cortex? How do neurosurgeons do it with humans, without (obviously)
>damaging the underlying cortex?
>>> Didier
>>didier at src.umd.edu>
Didier,
I use an instrument called a dura hook to make incisions in the dura of rodents. I think they
come in a variety of sizes, and can be found in most any surgical tools catalogue. I got mine
from Roboz Surgical Instruments.
Hope this helps!
Ben Walker
bw2r at virginia.edu