title: High-dose preoperative fractionated radiotherapy does not affect the patency and healing of ePTFE vascular prosthesis after replacement of canine abdominal aorta and inferior vena cava.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Fractionated radiotherapy allows for the safe administration of larger doses without the development of immediate or late toxicity. The influence of preoperative fractionated radiotherapy on neointima formation for expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) graft has not been determined.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty mongrel dogs were randomly divided into radiotherapy group (a total dose of 35 Gy) or control group (no radiation). The infrarenal abdominal aorta and inferior vena cava were replaced by ePTFE grafts at 3 months after irradiation in the radiotherapy group. Grafts were explanted at 4 weeks after surgery. Histopathological techniques were undertaken to evaluate graft neointima formation. The control group was managed the same as the radiotherapy group except for not receiving irradiation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Four grafts implanted into inferior vena cava in the irradiated group and three in the control group were found to be completely occluded. None of the grafts implanted into abdominal aorta were obstructed. In the case of the inferior vena cava graft, the thickness of the graft neointima did not differ significantly between the irradiated and control groups. However, for the abdominal aorta graft, the neointima thickness in the irradiated groups was significantly thinner than that in the control group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Preoperative fractionated radiotherapy affects vascular healing via suppressing the development of neointima formation in the abdominal aorta graft.
authors.affiliation: Department of Vascular Surgery, The Second Xiang Ya Hospital, Central South University, 139 Renmin Road, Changsha, Hunan 410011, PR China.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Shu
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Q
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001012:Aorta, Abdominal / Q000601:surgery*; D001807:Blood Vessel Prosthesis; D004285:Dogs; D019583:Dose Fractionation, Radiation; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000528:radiation effects; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000166:cytology; D058426:Neointima / Q000473:pathology; D011138:Polytetrafluoroethylene; D011300:Preoperative Care; D014654:Vascular Patency / Q000528:radiation effects*; D014682:Vena Cava, Inferior / Q000601:surgery*; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000528:radiation effects*
chemical_list: D011138:Polytetrafluoroethylene