title: Digital image analysis for morphometric evaluation of tissue response after implanting alloplastic vascular prostheses.
abstract: The aim of this study was to examine the suitability of digital image analysis, using the KS400 software system, for the morphometric evaluation of the tissue response after prosthesis implantation in an animal model. Twenty-four female pigs aged 10 weeks were implanted with infrarenal Dacron(R) prostheses for 14, 21, 28, and 116 days. Following the explantation and investigation of the neointima region, the expression of beta-1-integrin, the proliferation rate by means of Ki-67 positive cells, and the intima thickness were evaluated as exemplary parameters of the tissue response after implantation. Frozen tissue sections were immunohistochemically stained and subsequently examined using computer-aided image analysis. A maximum expression of 32.9% was observed for beta-1-integrin 14 days after implantation, gradually declining over time to 9.8% after 116 days. The proliferation rate was found to be 19% on day 14, increasing to 39% on day 21 with a subsequent gradual decline to 5% after 116 days. The intima thickness increased from 189.9 microm on day 14 to 1228.0 microm on day 116. In conclusion, digital image analysis was found to be an efficient and reproducible method for the morphometric evaluation of a peri-prosthetic tissue response.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Hospital Riesa/Grossenhain, D-01589 Riesa, Germany.
authors.forename: Roland
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zippel
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hoene
authors.forename: Uwe
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Walschus
authors.forename: Raymond
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Jarchow
authors.forename: Torsten
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ueberrueck
authors.forename: Maciej
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Patrzyk
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schlosser
authors.forename: Lutz
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wilhelm
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000009:adverse effects; D001807:Blood Vessel Prosthesis / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D007249:Inflammation / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D019012:Integrin beta1 / Q000378:metabolism; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen / Q000378:metabolism; D008422:Materials Testing; D011093:Polyethylene Terephthalates; D012984:Software; D034421:Sus scrofa
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D019012:Integrin beta1; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen; D011093:Polyethylene Terephthalates