Modified vein allograft for small arterial reconstruction in dogs.

The ideal graft for peripheral arterial reconstruction has yet to be developed. We evaluated on the effectiveness of porosity to intimization of the graft. Modified vein allografts newly constructed through digestion of vein allografts with elastase, glutaraldehyde tanning and lyophilization were implanted in thirty-nine canine femoral arteries. These grafts had a higher porosity than conventional vein allografts and the overall patency rate was 70 per cent at 6 months after implantation. Microscopic examination showed that graft interstitial healing and subsequent intimization were completed by ingrowth of connective tissue from outside through the graft wall at 3 weeks and later. Aneurysmal change of the modified vein allografts was never evident. These results indicated that porosity of the graft is indeed an important factor for intimization and durability of grafts, even in bioderivative substitutes.