Interspecies Healing of Porous Arterial Prostheses: Observations, 1960 to 1974

We have implanted 1,084 porous arterial prostheses of four different types in humans and in experimental animals (dog, pig, calf, and baboon) and 81 impervious grafts in experimental animals. Our observations include the following: (1) Though pig and calf do not develop delayed transinterstices hemorrhage through very thin, highly porous smooth-walled prostheses, the dog has a very high incidence, and we have seen two cases in man. (2) Compared to the other three species, man and dog are limited in their ability to develop pannus ingrowth from the anastomoses. (3) Man has the slowest rate of transinterstices ingrowth, and the least ability to accomplish complete inner wall healing, while pig, calf, and baboon heal very rapidly. (4) Healing of porous prostheses is assisted by a filamentous external surface, particularly in man. (5) The dog approximates human healing more closely than do the other three species.