[An experimental study on the use of the umbilical vein in blood vessel transplantation and its clinical application].

An experimental study of human umbilical vein in the use of femoral artery and jugular vein transplantation was carried out, and three patients suffering from superior vena caval obstruction were operated on by umbilical vein transplantation. The patients were followed up for 4-7 months with good results. It was found that the umbilical vein was a very good alternative in blood vessel transplantation for its lacking valves, its even caliber, its easiness to obtain, its length of up to 20 cm and a caliber of 0.3-1.0 cm, its ability to bear a pressure of up to 300 mmHg, and its causing no rejection after glutaraldehyde pretreatment. The processing and preserving of the umbilical vein were presented in detail, and its clinical implication was discussed.