Implantation of novel small-diameter polyurethane vascular prostheses interposed in canine femoral and carotid arteries.
OBJECTIVE
The performance of small-diameter (3-5-mm) vascular grafts still poses a challenge in the field of vascular surgery. We present here our preliminary experience with implanting unique small-sized polycarbonate urethane vascular grafts in 7 dogs.


METHODS
Each animal was implanted with 4 interposition grafts, 2 femoral and 2 carotid. No anti-thrombotic medication was administered. Doppler sonography was performed at 3-month intervals to examine for patency and flow characteristics. Animals were sacrificed electively at 3, 6 and 12 months.


RESULTS
At 3 months, all grafts were patent. After 6 months, 3 grafts occluded and at 1 year a further 6 grafts occluded. Hence 9 of 28 grafts occluded (67.9% patency). During the study, no correlation could be established between flow velocity or resistance index and occlusion. Histopathology showed intimal hyperplasia to be the cause of occlusion.


CONCLUSIONS
Compared to literature data on small-diameter grafts in the same position, ADIAM's Biomechanical grafts performed clearly better. Compliance data suggest a correlation between elastic compliance and patency.
Karapinar
K
K
Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, SSK Diskapi Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
Ulus
A T
AT
Tütün
U
U
Aksöyek
A
A
Apaydin
N
N
Pamuk
K
K
Can
Z
Z
Saritaş
Z
Z
Küçükay
F
F
Arda
K
K
Katircioğlu
S F
SF
D000818:Animals; D001807:Blood Vessel Prosthesis; D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000601:surgery*; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D005263:Femoral Artery / Q000601:surgery*; D006083:Graft Occlusion, Vascular / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000517:prevention & control; D006085:Graft Survival; D008297:Male; D011140:Polyurethanes; D019919:Prosthesis Implantation; D018608:Ultrasonography, Doppler
D011140:Polyurethanes