Compliance of vascular anastomoses with polybutester and polypropylene sutures

Abstract Purpose:  Polybutester suture is more easily stretched than other vascular sutures and may produce more compliant anastomoses. The effects of using polybutester and polypropylene sutures were compared acutely in arterial autografts and in chronic implants of cephalic vein grafts into the femoral arteries of dogs. Methods:  Paraanastomotic profiles of diameter and compliance were measured with echo-tracked ultrasonography, and profiles of intimal thickening were generated from histologic sections of the vessels harvested after 3 months. Results:  Polybutester produced more compliant anastomoses, compared with polypropylene, in arterial autografts (in vitro: 5.9% ± 2.0% vs 3.3% ± 0.6% diameter change/100 mm Hg, p p Conclusions:  Both sutures produced similar compliance and thickness profiles. Polybutester initially produces a more compliant anastomosis when both artery and graft are compliant, reducing anastomotic compliance mismatch. However, this benefit may not apply when the anastomosis includes a vessel of low compliance. (J VASC SURG 1993;18:827-34.)