Abstract
The purpose of our research is to prove that elastic biomechanical characteristics
of the temporalis muscle fascia are comparable to those of the fascia lata, which
makes the temporalis muscle fascia adequate material for dural reconstruction in the
region of the anterior cranial fossa. Fifteen fresh human cadavers, with age range
from 33 to 83 years (median age: 64 years; mean age: 64.28 years), were included in
the biomechanical study. Biomechanical stretching test with the comparison of elasticity
among the tissues of the temporalis muscle fascia, the fascia lata, and the dura was
performed. The samples were stretched up to the value of 6% of the total sample length
and subsequently were further stretched to the maximum value of force. The value of
extension at its elastic limit for the each sample was extrapolated from the force–extension
curve and was 6.3% of the total sample length for the fascia lata (stress value of
14.61 MPa), 7.4% for the dura (stress value of 6.91 MPa), and 8% for the temporalis
muscle fascia (stress value of 2.09 MPa). The dura and temporalis muscle fascia shared
the same biomechanical behavior pattern up to the value of their elastic limit, just
opposite to that of the fascia lata, which proved to be the stiffest among the three
investigated tissues. There was a statistically significant difference in the extension
of the samples at the value of the elastic limit for the fascia lata in comparison
to the temporalis muscle fascia and the dura (p = 0.002; Kruskal–Wallis test). Beyond the value of elastic limit, the temporalis
muscle fascia proved to be by far the most elastic tissue in comparison to the fascia
lata and the dura. The value of extension at its maximum value of force for the each
sample was extrapolated from the force–extension curve and was 9.9% of the sample's
total length for the dura (stress value of 10.02 MPa), 11.2% for the fascia lata (stress
value of 23.03 MPa), and 18.5% (stress value of 3.88 MPa) for the temporalis muscle
fascia. There was a statistically significant difference in stress values at the maximum
value of force between the dura and the temporalis muscle fascia (p = 0.001; Mann–Whitney U test) and between the dura and the fascia lata (p < 0.001; Mann–Whitney U test). Because of its elasticity and similarity in its mechanical behavior to the
dura, the temporalis muscle fascia can be considered the most suitable tissue for
dural reconstruction.
Keywords
free temporalis muscle fascia graft - dura mater - free fascia lata graft - tensile
test - elasticity
