An Experimental Microvascular Grafting on Rabbits Using the Microsurgical Technique

Yoo, Myung Chul; Kim, Chung O; Kim, Bong Kun; Kang, Shin Hyeok

Abstract

The vascular graft used for the reconstruction of certain types of vascular occlusive diseases and traumatic damages of the vessel, is very important, especially for the reconstruction of microvascular damages as occuring in hand injuries. Until recently microvascular graft done by microsurgical techniques was rare compared to the many- numbered large vessel grafts. But their biologic fate is currently uncertain. We studied the histologic changes occuring in the microvesseles of 1.5cm in length and 2mm in diameter, which were grafted to the femoral artery of rabbits by recently developed microsurgical techniques. Histologic changes were observed between different donor materials with different time intervals. For 60 rabbits which were used as experimental material, 15 cases received autogenous venous graft (group I). 15 cases autogenous arterial graft (group II) and 15 cases homogenous arterial graft (group I). The observd post-operative dates were 3,7,14.60 and 90 days for each respective group. The results were summerized as follows: 1. The patency rate of grafted vessels using microsurgical technique was 91.2%. 2. The histological changes observed were: a. On the 3rd and 7th day post-operatively, mainly inflammation, formation of thrombus, increased population of endothelium and formation of suture granuloma around the suture site were observed. b. On the 14th day, decreased numbers of inflammatory cells, progressed organization of thrombus, disorganization of the medial muscle layer of the grafted vessels and degeneration of endothelium were observed. c. On the 60th day, inflammatory cells and previously formed thrombi were no longer found and increased amount of fibrosis was prominent instead. 3. The autogenous venous graft group showed less histological changes in every aspect compared to the other two groups. 4. The autogenous arterial graft group showed considerable histological changes, but endothelial lining cells were well preserved. 5. In the homogenous arterial graft group, good patency rate of grafted vessel were observed despite of severe inflammatory change initially. 6. It can be concluded from the above observation that the micrcvascular graft thought to be most useful in recstablishing circulation of injured vessels was the autcgenous venous graft. Homogenous vessel graft and autogenous graft artery were also found to be applicable when autogenous vencous graft is not available.