An intraluminal silastic stent for small vessel repair.

An intraluminal stent fashioned from medical grade Silastic was used for technical assistance in performing 23 microvascular anastomoses. Twenty control and 20 stent arterial anastomoses were completed. Patency rates of 100 per cent in both the stent and control anastomoses were found by radical pressure testing immediately postoperatively and after an interval of two weeks. Electron microscopic and light microscopic studies showed no increase in damage to the vessel wall or increase in connective tissue reaction. Under the conditions of this experiment the Silastic stent can be used safely for assistance in performing microarterial anastomoses. Preliminary studies in six microvenous anastomoses have also shown no significant difference postoperatively between the stent and control anastomoses, both having a 100 per cent patency rate.