One millimetre polytetrafluoroethylene (Gore-Tex) as a microvascular prosthesis: technique and early patency.

We have described a technique for grafting 1 mm internal diameter polytetrafluoroethylene (Gore-Tex) to the rat femoral artery. By spatulating the ends of the recipient artery and completing the proximal anastomosis before commencing the distal one, gentle and accurate suture placement is assured. At a mean of 40 days postoperatively (range 35-42 days) 16 of 20 Gore-Tex grafts (80%) were patent compared with 17 of 20 autogenous femoral vein grafts (85%). Examination of the prosthetic grafts by light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy showed incomplete development of a cellular lining and some areas of neo-intimal hyperplasia. One millimetre Gore-Tex provides excellent early patency as a microvascular graft in this experimental setting but long term patency is still undetermined.