Experimental study of ectopic-free tissue transfer of rabbit epigastric flap using small-caliber vascular grafts.
Ectopic intraperitoneal free-tissue grafting using small-caliber artificial vascular grafts is reported. The vascular grafts were polyurethane tubes (inner diameter 1.4 mm; outer diameter 1.9 mm; length 15 mm) with a coating of the antithrombotic agents argatroban and 2-hydroxyethylmethacrylate-styrene block copolymer (HS)on the inner surface. The patency of the artificial vessels was investigated in an ectopic-free rabbit epigastric flap in which grafts were used for anastomosis between the femoral and renal vessels. The mean patent duration of uncoated controls (n = 10) was 128 +/- 37 min. Flap viability after one week (n = 17) and the patency of the coated grafts were investigated histologically. The flap take rate was 65%, the arterial graft patency rate 41%, and the venous graft patency rate 24%. The HS-treated surface combined with the argatroban slow-release system exhibited improvement of flap survival in an intraperitoneal ectopic -free grafting model.
Terada
S
S
Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Tokyo Women's Medical University, School of Medicine, 8-1, Kawada-cho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-8666, Japan.
Suzuki
K
K
Nozaki
M
M
Okano
T
T
Sasaki
K
K
D000818:Animals; D001120:Arginine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D019917:Blood Vessel Prosthesis Implantation / Q000379:methods*; D019074:Epigastric Arteries / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000637:transplantation*; D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D006085:Graft Survival; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D018485:Muscle Fibers, Skeletal / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D010875:Pipecolic Acids / Q000494:pharmacology; D011817:Rabbits; D012039:Regional Blood Flow / Q000502:physiology; D012867:Skin / Q000098:blood supply; D013449:Sulfonamides; D013499:Surface Properties; D016378:Tissue Transplantation / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000379:methods*; D014463:Ultrasonography
D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents; D010875:Pipecolic Acids; D013449:Sulfonamides; D001120:Arginine; C031942:argatroban