The use of Teflon as a dural substitute and its other neurosurgical applications.

During the last seven decades many materials have been experimentally tried as dural substitutes, and many have been discarded after being clinically introduced. In recent years, satisfactory results from Orlan (Huertas, 1955), Vinyon 'N' (Teng and Feigin, 1955; Teng, 1961), and homologous dura mater (Crawford, 1957; Campbell, Bassett, and Robertson, 1958) as dural substitutes have been reported. Vinyon 'N' has been out of production because it is of no commercial value. It is replaced commercially by Teflon. The present communication concerns the introduction of Teflon cloth as a dural substitute and its other neurosurgical applications. It has been clinically tried during the last two and a half years at the Kaiser Foundation Hospitals of Southern California.