title: Healing of high-porosity polytetrafluoroethylene arterial grafts is influenced by the nature of the surrounding tissue.
abstract: The aim of this study was to determine the influence of the nature of the perigraft tissue in the healing pattern of high-porosity polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) vascular grafts. Nine-centimeter long segments of unreinforced experimental high-porosity (60 microns) PTFE grafts were placed as abdominal aortic interposition in mongrel dogs. Three grafts served as controls (group A); in five dogs (group B) a 25 x 25 cm piece of devascularized omentum was wrapped around the graft. In five dogs (group C) the omentum with its own vascular supply was completely wrapped around the graft. Animals were killed 4 weeks after surgery. The percentage of thrombus-free area was 31% in group A grafts, 39% in group B grafts, and 79% in group C grafts (p less than 0.01). Scanning electron microscopy showed many confluent areas of endothelium-like cells in the midportion of group C grafts, corresponding to capillary ingrowth. Transmural endothelial migration was more evident in group C grafts. We conclude that the nature of the perigraft tissue influences transmural capillary migration and the endothelialization rate of high-porosity PTFE grafts in dogs. Agents able to increase capillary formation in the perigraft tissue might improve endothelialization of vascular grafts.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery and Pathology, Creighton University School of Medicine, Omaha, Neb.
authors.forename: A V
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Sterpetti
authors.forename: W J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Hunter
authors.forename: R D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Schultz
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Farina
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001158:Arteries; D001807:Blood Vessel Prosthesis; D002196:Capillaries / Q000502:physiology; D004285:Dogs; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000166:cytology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D011138:Polytetrafluoroethylene; D014654:Vascular Patency; D014945:Wound Healing
chemical_list: D011138:Polytetrafluoroethylene