title: A proof-of-principle study on animals for a new method of anastomosing vessels using intraluminal stents.
abstract: The aim of this proof-of-principle study was to assess an intraluminal expandable stent design using an existing cardiac stent. Intraluminal stents minimise the amount of suturing necessary when performing an end-to-end anastomosis. The stent is passed halfway through the lumen on each end of the vessel to be anastomosed and is expanded using a retrievable balloon. An adequately expanded stent holds the blood vessel ends in contact without the need for sutures. This method was tested on an end-to-end anastomosis performed on the carotid vessels of two New Zealand male rabbits. The vessels were patent with good blood flow at the end of 16 days. This method has a potential use in vascular, microvascular and luminal anastomoses within various sub-specialities of surgery.
authors.affiliation: Northwick Park Institute of Medical Research, Central Manchester University Hospitals, UK. Satheesh_irvail@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Irvail Satheesh
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Prabhu
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Homer-Vanniasinkam
mesh_terms: D000714:Anastomosis, Surgical / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D000818:Animals; D017536:Carotid Artery, Common / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000473:pathology; D004867:Equipment Design; D008297:Male; D023421:Models, Animal; D011817:Rabbits; D012039:Regional Blood Flow / Q000502:physiology; D015607:Stents; D013997:Time Factors; D014654:Vascular Patency / Q000502:physiology; D058106:Wound Closure Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation*