Effects of fibronectin bonding on healing of high porosity expanded polytetrafluoroethylene grafts in pigs.
BACKGROUND
We developed a new fibronectin bonding to expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) and previously reported that, in a dog carotid implant model, fibronectin bonding improves graft healing in high porosity ePTFE grafts. The purpose of this study was to further investigate the effect of the fibronectin bonding on graft healing in a pig carotid implant model.


METHODS
Fifteen pigs received a high porosity ePTFE graft treated with the fibronectin bonding (fibronectin-bonded graft) on one side and an untreated graft (non-bonded graft) on the contralateral side. The grafts were explanted at intervals of 3 and 6 weeks and subjected to histological studies.


RESULTS
At 3 weeks, the neointima of fibronectin-bonded grafts was better organized than that of non-bonded grafts. At 6 weeks, the morphologic features of the neointima were the same in fibronectin-bonded and non-bonded grafts. The neointima was completely organized.


CONCLUSIONS
Together with the previous results with the dog model, fibronectin bonding could be expected to improve healing of the high porosity ePTFE grafts in humans.
Nishibe
T
T
Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Hokkaido University School of Medicine, K14, N5, Kita-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-8648, Japan.
O'Donnel
S
S
Pikoulis
E
E
Rich
N
N
Okuda
Y
Y
Kumada
T
T
Kudo
F
F
Tanabe
T
T
Yasuda
K
K
D000818:Animals; D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D001807:Blood Vessel Prosthesis; D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000473:pathology* / Q000637:transplantation*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D005353:Fibronectins / Q000737:chemistry*; D006084:Graft Rejection; D006085:Graft Survival; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D011138:Polytetrafluoroethylene / Q000737:chemistry*; D013552:Swine; D014654:Vascular Patency; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000502:physiology*
D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D005353:Fibronectins; D011138:Polytetrafluoroethylene