[Effectiveness of different means of surgically treating cranio-cerebral wounds following whole body x-irradiation of animals].

In 184 rabbits experiments it was demonstrated that debridement with suction of the damaged portion of the brain within the macroscopically intact brain tissue and a leak-proof suture undertaken on the 1st and 3rd day following a penetrating skull-brain trauma in irradiated with 400 r and non-irradiated animals prevents heamorrhagic and purulent complications, permits primary healing of the wound, and a nearly 100% survival of the animals. The irradiated animals without debridement died in 67% of cases, non-irradiated--in 43%. Debridement limited to wound debris washing-out failed to free the irradiated animals from purulent complications, but prevented the development of cerebral haematomas, the mortality being reduced to 40%. In the non-irradiated animals such debridement did not alter the mortality figures.