EXPERIMENTAL STUDY OF THE HEALING PROCESS AT THE ANASTOMOTIC SITES IN EPTFE GRAFT USING ABSORBABLE SUTURE MATERAL

Abstract

The healing process at the anastomotic sites between host and vasucular prostheses was investigated using absorbable suture polydioxanon (PDS) and ePTFE graft in canine abdominal aorta. Polypropylene (PP) sutures were used as a control. From 5 months on after implantation hyalinoid degeneration of the anastomotic margin which was caused by the compression of suture loop began to disappear, and at 7 months after implantation these findings disappeared completely at the PDS-anastomotic sites. However under observation within 8 months there still remained a compression findings of ePTFE pore structure. 2 years after there observed no compression of the anastomotic margin and an excellent organization was achieved at the PDS-anastomotic site. It is suggested that absorbable suture is effective to prevent the intimal hyperplasia at the anastomotic site which is the most important probrem of the ePTFE.