Experimental model of optic nerve sheath fenestration Histology, ultrastructure, and glial immunocytochemistry

Abstract

Optic nerve sheath fenestration is a surgical procedure for the treatment of many optic neuropathies. The authors developed an experimental model carried out on healthy adult rabbits in order to study the morphological consequences of an iatrogenic meningeal 'breach' in optic nerve axons, macroglia, and meninges corresponding to optic nerve fenestration. The fibrous scar which developed at the level of the fenestration was accompanied by glial hypertrophy, along with meningeal laminae which were stuck together. There was no axonal loss, but there were reactive astrocytes with gliofilament bundles. These morphological data assisted the authors in building up hypotheses which partly explain the acknowledged efficiency of this procedure for specific optic neuropathies.

Key Words:

• Optic nerve sheath fenestration
• glia
• reactive astrocytes
• rabbit optic nerve
• immunocytochemistry
• electron microscope