Favorable histologic findings and tensile strength at 14 years in knitted polyester aortofemoral and femoropopliteal grafts in the same patient.
Patent right and left limbs of an aortobifemoral knitted polyester graft and a patent left femoropopliteal graft, both implanted for 14 years, were removed 40 hr postmortem from a 63-year-old man. Healing studies were performed, using routine and immunocytochemistry staining scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) on multiple samples taken from sites sufficiently far from the anastomoses to avoid pannus healing. Evaluation by weight-elongation comparison with a fresh graft demonstrated that structural stability and strength were well preserved. Anastomoses were patent with no remarkable intimal hyperplasia. There was no thrombus on the flow surface of either graft. Histologic studies of these grafts revealed uniform through-wall tissue ingrowth and extensive patches of endothelial cells scattered over the flow surface, confirmed by factor VIII, SEM, and TEM. These findings document that long-term stable tensile strength and healing with flow surface endothelialization can be attained with knitted polyester grafts in the human.
Ambrad-Chalela
E
E
Hope Heart Institute, 528 18th Avenue, Seattle, WA 98122, USA.
Shi
Q
Q
Berman
A
A
Johansen
K H
KH
Sauvage
L R
LR
Wu
M H
MH
D001011:Aorta / Q000637:transplantation*; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019917:Blood Vessel Prosthesis Implantation / Q000639:trends; D005121:Extremities / Q000098:blood supply; D005263:Femoral Artery / Q000637:transplantation*; D006652:Histological Techniques / Q000639:trends; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011091:Polyesters / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011150:Popliteal Artery / Q000637:transplantation*; D013718:Tensile Strength / Q000502:physiology
D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D011091:Polyesters