Dynamic compliance of arterial grafts

A cantilever transducer has been developed which allows measurements of diastolic diameter and diameter change in response to pulse pressure in dissected blood vessels during sterile procedures. Preliminary results indicate that it will detect subtle changes in wall elastic properties of arterial grafts at subtle changes in wall elastic properties of arterial grafts at and following implantation, which changes may influence graft function. Compliance, the percentage change in volume per unit pressure, was greater in normal canine femoral artery than in autogenous vein grafts (AVG). Two new graft materials were tested. Mesh-covered modified human umbilical cord vein (DBM) was similar in compliance to AVG but more compliant than double-velour Dacron. Diastolic diameter changes were also recorded. After 2 wk, all three graft materials had increased in diameter: AVG by 8%, DBM by 6%, and Dacron by 5%. After 3 mo, AVG diameter increased by 24%.