Microvenous Grafts to Arterial Defects: The Use of Mechanical or Suture Anastomoses

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Abstract
• A mechanical microvascular anastomotic device, the Unilink system, was compared with sutures in terms of patency, anastomotic time, and histologic changes when a microvenous graft is placed in an arterial defect. Twenty rabbits underwent grafting of a 1.0-cm defect in both carotid arteries with a 1.5-cm reversed femoral vein graft. Anastomoses were performed with the Unilink system on one side and sutures on the other. Animals were killed at 2 weeks (10 animals) and 16 weeks (10 animals) with the vein grafts being assessed with clinical patency tests and then fixated for histologic evaluation.