Freeze‐Dried microarterial replacement allografts in rabbits

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Abstract
Microvascular techniques offer important alternatives for reconstructive head and neck surgery. To test the viability of freeze-dried allografts, a pilot experimental study was performed using the rabbit model. Freeze-dried preserved arterial allografts were implanted into femoral artery defects in eight subjects. After 6 weeks, all grafts were harvested and prepared for histologicol and electron microscopic analysis. Immediate patency was 100%. One subject was excluded on the third postoperative day. Of the seven remaining grafts, three (43%) were patent at 6 weeks. These results are comparable to previous data obtained using freeze-dried arterial allografts in the some animal model. Although further investigation is required, this pilot study suggests possible future application of cryopreserved vascular micrografts.