Vascular graft research: endothelial cell seeding of synthetic bypass grafts.

Over thirty years ago, bypass grafts first became available for human use. This technological development provided patients with improved functioning and quality of life. It is a peculiarity of nature that humans do not heal synthetic bypass grafts with an endothelial lining as other animals will. Researchers have developed the technology to take endothelial cells from a peripheral vein of a person and plant them inside a synthetic bypass graft. Now, science has progress to the point of applied research. In the application of this research to patients, knowledge will be obtained to see if seeding of grafts makes a difference. Hope is on the forefront that peripheral vascular surgery patients may be able to have synthetic grafts that are more like the vessels that they were created with and this will lead to improved functioning and quality living.