Long microvenous allografts in rabbit femoral arteries and veins.
In this study the patency of long microvenous allografts in rabbits with and without immunosuppressive drug therapy was investigated. Eighty-two microvenous autografts (controls) and allografts were transplanted into rabbit femoral vessels. Veno-venous autograft controls were 100% patent at 3 weeks. Rejection of non-immunosuppressed veno-venous allografts consistently produced occlusion between 15-20 days. Thrombus filled the lumen, and a leucocyte invasion destroyed the graft wall. In contrast vein allografts into arteries were 100% patent at 3 weeks; this was reduced to 50% at 4 weeks. Low (5 mg/kg/day) and high (20 mg/kg/day) doses of hydrocortisone over 21 days improved the 3 week patency in veno-venous allografts to 28.5% and 57.0% respectively. Cyclosporin A (15 mg/kg/day) over 8 or 22 days significantly increased the patency rate of veno-venous allografts to 100%. Only cyclosporin A treated rabbits maintained allografts of normal vein morphology to 3 weeks.
Ethridge
C P
CP
Microsurgery Research Centre, St Vincent's Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Mitchell
G M
GM
Barton
R M
RM
Morrison
W A
WA
O'Brien
B M
BM
D000818:Animals; D003524:Cyclosporins / Q000494:pharmacology; D005263:Femoral Artery / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery / Q000637:transplantation*; D005268:Femoral Vein / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery / Q000637:transplantation*; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000494:pharmacology; D008866:Microsurgery; D011817:Rabbits; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous; D014654:Vascular Patency / Q000187:drug effects
D003524:Cyclosporins; D006854:Hydrocortisone