In this paper we report the biochemical studies about healing process of synthetic vascular grafts, Woven Dacron (De Bakey) and Woven Teflon (Edwards) in the canine subcutaneous tissue, that is, about mucopolysaccharides changes of the connective tissue surrounding the graft and proceeding the lumen-ward through the interstices from 3 weeks to 6 months post implantation. Uronic acid and hexosamine in the connective tissue in the whole period after implantation were more than 9 and 7umole/g dry wt. respectively. In electrophoretic analysis, the major components of MPS were hyaluronic acid and dermatan sulfate with lesser amounts of chondroitin sulfate and negligible heparan sulfate. Hyaluronic acid content ranged from 26 to 37% of the total MPS, which means sustaining of the heavy tissue reaction.
Furthermore, the histologic study by means of H-E staining revealed that heavy tissue reaction continued in the interstices of the vascular prosthesis for 6 months' observation, while the mild or no tissue reaction could be seen in the graft surface by 6 months after implantation.
These date suggest that the complete healing of these grafts should require still longer period than generally estimated, and we postulate that the heavy tissue reaction paticularly in the interstices of the graft could be sustained for more than years.
