Experimental Vascular Grafts

Abstract

Recent advances in the procurement and processing of arterial substitutes have greatly extended the applicability of vascular surgical procedures. Valid criticisms, however, may be brought forward for each of the methods, whether the new prosthetic device be arterial homograft, arterial heterograft, or plastic mesh tube. Continued search for an ideal vascular replacement is thus indicated. This report relates our experiences with autogenous pericardial grafts implanted into the thoracic aortas of growing pigs. An attempt has been made to evaluate the effects of rapid growth (with its attendant stresses) upon these pericardial autografts. Fascial supported and nonsupported pericardial autografts were studied. Sako * originally studied pericardial autografts implanted into the thoracic aortas of adult dogs. He reported that under the conditions of his experiments, the pericardial transplants tended to dilate, but the dilatation could be prevented by a perigraft wrap of fascia lata. It is also of particular interest that these autogenous