title: Decreased compliance on arterial anastomoses.
abstract: The present study was undertaken to examine the cross-sectional vascular compliance at the anastomotic site.
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed end-to-end anastomosis on the carotid artery of six pigs using continuous 6/0 polypropylene. Four carotid arteries were excised and mounted in a perfusion chamber while the remaining two were left in living animals. We used pulsed ultrasound (NIUS 02) to generate detailed longitudinal profiles of diameter and compliance in the proximity and on the anastomosis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  On the anastomosis, the vessel diameter decreases (-1 to -2.6% of diastolic diameter) when blood pressure increases with an exponential correlation (R2 = 0.75). The arterial compliance at the anastomosis was negative: the vessel cross-section reduction for a pulse pressure of 1 up to 32 mmHg was 0.9 to 2% of diastolic vessel cross-section.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Vessel movement generated a dynamic stenosis whose magnitude seems to depend on blood pressure level. Increasing blood pressure causes the retraction of vessel ends which causes vessel lumen reduction. These results suggest that continuous suture does not provide the continuity of mechanical properties of the artery.
authors.affiliation: Clinic of Cardiovascular Surgery, Lausanne University Hospital.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Tozzi
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hayoz
authors.forename: X M
authors.initials: XM
authors.lastname: Mueller
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: M'Baku
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Mallabiabarrena
authors.forename: L K
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: von Segesser
mesh_terms: D000714:Anastomosis, Surgical; D000818:Animals; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology*; D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D003187:Compliance; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011673:Pulsatile Flow / Q000502:physiology; D013552:Swine