Experimental craniosynostosis in growing rabbits. The role of the periosteum.

Reports on the role of the periosteum in premature sutural synostosis have been contradictory. The present study summarizes a series of six experiments designed to clarify these previously conflicting findings. Twenty-five male New Zealand White rabbits were divided into six experimental groups. In four of the groups, methyl-2-cyanoacrylate was used to glue the frontal and parietal bones together and temporarily immobilize the coronal suture. In the other two groups, the sutures were not immobilized. Polyethylene was used to separate the cyanoacrylate from the periosteum in two of the groups. The experiments were performed at 5 weeks of age, and the animals were killed at either 30, 45, or 180 days postoperatively. Metallic implants were placed in the frontal and parietal bones for monitoring growth and/or sutural immobilization. Sutural fusion was confirmed radiographically or histologically. Based upon the findings it seems that mechanical immobilization of a suture does not induce fusion of that suture in rabbits. Furthermore, it appears that the mere application of methyl-2-cyanoacrylate to the periosteum overlying a suture will consistently cause the formation of a bony bridge in growing rabbits but not in nongrowing animals. The adhesive does not consistently induce synostosis if the periosteum is excised.