Experimental reconstruction of canine trachea with a free autogenous jejunum and artificial vascular graft complex

Effect of bFGF local administration

Abstract

A complex implant was prepared using autogenous free jejunum and artificial vascular graft, and the trachea in the cervical region was replaced by this complex implant as a tracheal prosthesis in dogs (n=18). The mucosa was bluntly abraded from the autogenous free jejunum, and the jejunum was adhered to the inner surface of the artificial vascular graft using a fibrin glue containing basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF). Artificial vascular grafts with low porosity (60 ml/cm2/min/120mmHg) were grafted to group I (n=3) using no bFGF and group II (n=3) using bFGF at 2.5μg/ml. Artificial vascular grafts with high porosity (1200 ml/cm²/ min/120 mmHg) were grafted to group III (n=3) using no bFGF, group IV (n=3) using bFGF at 2.5μg/ml and group V (n=6) using bFGF at 5.0μg/ml. In group I, II, and III, neither regeneration of tracheal mucosal epithelium, nor vascularization was observed. In group V, regeneration of tracheal mucosal epithelium for 5 mm length near the anastomotic line was macroscopically and histologically observed, in addition to marked vascularization around the complex implant. Regeneration of tracheal mucosal epithelium was also observed in group IV, but vascularization was less, as compared with group V.