Experimental microsurgical vein grafts: quantitative temporal analysis of progressive media fibroplasia.
The sequential histopathologic changes in microvenous grafts placed in a microarterial system were studied. In 48 Sprague Dawley rats, a 1 cm segment of epigastric vein was interposed into a defect created in the femoral artery. Grafts were explored at 1, 2, 4, and 12 weeks. After an initial smooth muscle hyperplasia, a progressive fibroplasia of the media was observed. Only small focal areas of intimal hyperplasia were seen. The width of the media was measured with an eyepiece micrometer. A statistically significant (P < 0.01) increase in width from 17 microns at 1 week to 462 microns at 12 weeks was noted. Although this process has been described before, this is the first quantitative assessment.
McDonald
J P
JP
Department of Orthopaedics, Case Western Reserve University, Wade Park V.A. Medical Center, Cleveland, OH.
Shaffer
J W
JW
Carter
J R
JR
Field
G
G
D000714:Anastomosis, Surgical / Q000379:methods; D000818:Animals; D004547:Elastic Tissue / Q000473:pathology; D005263:Femoral Artery / Q000601:surgery; D005355:Fibrosis; D006965:Hyperplasia; D008866:Microsurgery / Q000379:methods*; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000473:pathology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013997:Time Factors; D017539:Tunica Intima / Q000473:pathology; D017540:Tunica Media / Q000473:pathology; D014654:Vascular Patency; D014680:Veins / Q000473:pathology* / Q000637:transplantation*