title: Microvascular anastomosis of interpositional vein grafts with sutures and a new mechanical device--a histologic and scanning electron microscopic study.
abstract: In an experimental study, a new mechanical device for microvascular anastomosis was compared with suture anastomosis. In 14 rabbits, seven end-to-end and seven end-to-side anastomoses of the jugular vein to interpositional vein grafts were done with a ring-pin device and by the conventional suture method. There was no significant difference between the patency rates of mechanical and suture anastomoses. The completion of mechanical anastomoses took one-third the time required for suture anastomoses. After 10 days, histologic and scanning electron microscopic examination revealed an uneventful reparative process at the anastomotic site with media atrophy and a continuous endothelial layer. At 4 weeks, occasional foreign body giant cells were seen between the polyethylene rings and surrounding connective tissue. The study confirms that the ring-pin device is safe and provides a faster way to do microvascular anastomoses than by suturing.
authors.affiliation: Department of Maxillo-Facial Surgery, Westdeutsche Kieferklinik, University of Düsseldorf, Germany.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Reinert
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Horn
authors.forename: K F
authors.initials: KF
authors.lastname: Bürrig
mesh_terms: D000714:Anastomosis, Surgical / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D000818:Animals; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000648:ultrastructure; D007601:Jugular Veins / Q000601:surgery; D008833:Microcirculation / Q000601:surgery*; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D011817:Rabbits; D013537:Sutures; D014680:Veins / Q000601:surgery / Q000637:transplantation