An albumin-coated polyester arterial prosthesis made read to anastomose: in vivo evaluation in dogs

Abstract After a positive in vitro evaluation, the albumin-coated polyester arterial graft (ACG), which does not require any preclotting was compared in vivo to its parent graft, the Vasculour II graft, as an arterial substitute in the thoracic aorta of dogs. Durations of implantation were prescheduled at four, 24 and 48 hours, one, two and four weeks, three and six months. Implantations were uneventful for both coated and control grafts without any blood oozing along their entire length and/or bleeding at the anastomoses. Angiographies performed at three and six months postimplantation did not show any dilation. All grafts were patent at sacrifice. There was no delay in the healing sequences of the ACG when compared to the preclotted Vasculour II graft. The presence of collagen was observed as soon as two weeks after implantation in both types of grafts. Moreover, in the ACG, endothelial-like cells covered extensively the anastomotic areas and progressed towards the central segment of the luminal surface three months after implantation. In the Vasculour II grafts, the endothelial-like cells were flattened and less abundant. The albumin coating of the ACG was progressively eroded and was no longervisible one month postimplantation. The textile structure was well preserved in both types of grafts, the albumin coating did not do any harm to the polyester filaments. The ACG performed accurately and proved to be more convenient than the preclotted graft.