One millimetre polytetrafluoroethylene (Gore-Tex) as a microvascular prosthesis: technique and early patency.
We have described a technique for grafting 1 mm internal diameter polytetrafluoroethylene (Gore-Tex) to the rat femoral artery. By spatulating the ends of the recipient artery and completing the proximal anastomosis before commencing the distal one, gentle and accurate suture placement is assured. At a mean of 40 days postoperatively (range 35-42 days) 16 of 20 Gore-Tex grafts (80%) were patent compared with 17 of 20 autogenous femoral vein grafts (85%). Examination of the prosthetic grafts by light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy showed incomplete development of a cellular lining and some areas of neo-intimal hyperplasia. One millimetre Gore-Tex provides excellent early patency as a microvascular graft in this experimental setting but long term patency is still undetermined.
D000818:Animals; D001807:Blood Vessel Prosthesis; D005263:Femoral Artery / Q000601:surgery / Q000648:ultrastructure; D006083:Graft Occlusion, Vascular; D008833:Microcirculation; D008866:Microsurgery; D011138:Polytetrafluoroethylene; D051381:Rats; D013927:Thrombosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology
D011138:Polytetrafluoroethylene