title: A surgical technique that preserves human saphenous vein functional integrity.
abstract: We investigated the effect of a novel surgical preparative technique for human saphenous vein by using the concentration of adenosine triphosphate and the adenosine triphosphate/diphosphate ratio to quantify medial integrity and by using stimulated rates of prostacyclin production to quantify endothelial function. Freshly isolated vein had an adenosine triphosphate concentration of 358 +/- 54 nmol.g-1 wet weight and an adenosine triphosphate/diphosphate ratio of 2.89 +/- 0.13 (n = 12); it produced prostacyclin in response to fluid shear at a rate of 14.3 +/- 2.0 pg.min-1.mg-1 wet weight (n = 12). Surgically prepared vein obtained on completion of the last proximal anastomosis had been distended with the patient's own arterial pressure using a side-arm connected to the aortic cannula. This vein had an adenosine triphosphate concentration of 413 +/- 70 nmol.g-1 wet weight and an adenosine triphosphate/diphosphate ratio of 2.74 +/- 0.44 (n = 11), and it produced prostacyclin at a rate of 13.1 +/- 0.2 pg.min-1.mg-1 wet weight (n = 12). All values were indistinguishable from those in freshly isolated vein. The results demonstrate that this simple technique for distention at arterial pressure preserved medial and endothelial function.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiac Surgery, University of Sheffield, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: G D
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Angelini
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Bryan
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hunter
authors.forename: A C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Newby
mesh_terms: D000244:Adenosine Diphosphate / Q000378:metabolism; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate / Q000378:metabolism; D000714:Anastomosis, Surgical / Q000379:methods; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass / Q000379:methods*; D011464:Epoprostenol / Q000096:biosynthesis; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012501:Saphenous Vein / Q000378:metabolism / Q000637:transplantation*
chemical_list: D000244:Adenosine Diphosphate; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate; D011464:Epoprostenol