title: Early postoperative changes in hematological, erythrocyte aggregation and blood coagulation parameters after unilateral implantation of polytetrafluoroethylene vascular graft in the femoral artery of beagle dogs.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The failure of small-caliber vascular grafts still means a serious problem. Concerning the early postoperative complications we aimed to investigate the hemostaseological and hemorheological aspects of this issue in a canine model.
  
  
  METHODS
  In the Control group only anesthesia was induced. In the Grafted group under general anesthesia a 3.5-cm segment was resected unilaterally from the femoral artery and replaced with a PTFE graft (diameter: 3 mm). On the 1st-3rd-5th-7th and 14th postoperative days the skin temperature of both hind limbs was measured, and blood sampling occurred for hematological, hemostaseological and hemorheological tests.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The skin temperature of the operated versus intact limbs did not differ. In the Grafted group leukocyte count was elevated by the 1st postoperative day, while platelet count increased over the entire follow-up period. Fibrinogen concentration rose on the 1st-5th days, activated partial thromboplastin time increased on the 3rd-7th days. Erythrocyte aggregation was enhanced significantly on the 1st-5th days. In specimens taken on the 14th day, histologically we found matured thrombus narrowing the graft lumen.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Small-caliber PTFE graft implantation into the femoral artery caused significant changes in several hemostaseological and hemorheological parameters. However, better clarifying the factors leading to early thrombosis of these grafts needs further studies.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, Hungary.
authors.forename: Csaba
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Toth
authors.affiliation: Institute of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, Hungary.
authors.forename: Zoltan
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Klarik
authors.affiliation: Institute of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, Hungary.
authors.forename: Ferenc
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Kiss
authors.affiliation: Institute of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, Hungary.
authors.forename: Eniko
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Toth
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Kenezy Hospital, University of Debrecen, Hungary.
authors.forename: Zoltan
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Hargitai
authors.affiliation: Institute of Surgery, Kenezy Hospital, University of Debrecen, Hungary.
authors.forename: Norbert
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Nemeth
mesh_terms: D000714:Anastomosis, Surgical; D000818:Animals; D001772:Blood Cell Count; D001777:Blood Coagulation / Q000502:physiology*; D001807:Blood Vessel Prosthesis; D004285:Dogs; D004903:Erythrocyte Aggregation / Q000502:physiology*; D005263:Femoral Artery / Q000637:transplantation*; D005340:Fibrinogen / Q000032:analysis; D023421:Models, Animal; D010314:Partial Thromboplastin Time; D011138:Polytetrafluoroethylene / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D011184:Postoperative Period; D011517:Prothrombin Time; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D058017:Vascular Grafting / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D005340:Fibrinogen; D011138:Polytetrafluoroethylene