Microvascular polytetrafluoroethylene (Gore‐Tex®) grafts in the infrarenal rat aorta

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Abstract
To evaluate the use of microvascular prosthetic grafts, the infrarenal aorta in 33 male Sprague‐Dawley rats was replaced by an interposition graft of PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene, Gore‐Tex®).Three groups of experimental animals were studied: Group A consisted of rats with 7‐mm‐long grafts, group B consisted of rats with 20‐mm‐long grafts, and group C consisted of rats with 20‐mm‐long grafts and ligatures of one common iliac and one external iliac artery. In group A all grafts (11/11) were patent after varying observation periods (6–92 days, median value 28 days, mean value 49 days). In group B all grafts but one (13/14) were patent (0–201 days, median value 198 days, mean value 118 days). In group C two grafts occluded immediately postoperatively, whereas the remaining six were patent (0–24 days, median and mean values 9 days). Twelve of 13 grafts observed for 3 months or more remained patent. There were no signs of infection. Angiography did not reveal any stenosis in the anastomoses of patent grafts. Light microscopy demonstrated a good adaptation between the grafts and the aorta in all animals. In the short grafts observed for 3 months and in the long grafts observed for 6 months, the luminal surfaces were completely covered by endothelial‐like cells. In the occluded graft in group B, a stenosis was demonstrated in one of the anastomoses. This was not found in any other specimen. The results of this study document the possibility of using PTFE grafts of 1 mm diameter in experimental microvascular position.