[A long-term study of a small-caliber arterial autograft used for repair of a large-caliber arterial defect].
OBJECTIVE
The long-term fate of a small arterial graft used to repair a large diameter artery was studied in this study.


METHODS
An end segment of the tail artery (0.3-0.4 mm in diameter) was transplanted to the defect of the carotid artery (1.0-1.4 mm in diameter) in 50 rats. The vessel grafts were examined histologically at 3 weeks and 5, 10 and 12 months after implantation.


RESULTS
At 3 weeks, intimal thickening of the grafts was mild and present only in regions adjacent to the anastomosis. At 5 months, severe intimal thickening was seen along the entire graft wall. At 10 and 12 months, the intimal thickening reduced. Regression of the thickening was uneven within the graft wall. The adventitia thickened at the early postoperative period and reduced at the end of this study. The patency rate of the grafts at 12 months postoperation was 95% (19/20). Angiography indicated that the grafts stopped expanding after 5 months and were only slightly smaller than the recipient arteries at 12 months postoperation.


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that a small, autogenous arterial graft may effectively repair a large-calibre arterial defect.
Xiu
Z
Z
Plastic Surgery Hospital of CAMS and PUMC, Beijing 100041, China.
Song
Y
Y
Huang
W
W
D000792:Angiography; D000818:Animals; D001158:Arteries / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000473:pathology / Q000637:transplantation*; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000473:pathology; D051381:Rats; D014182:Transplantation, Autologous