Model of murine interpositional vein grafting

A new murine model is presented for interpositional vein grafting into an artery. In ICR (outbred) mice, the femoral vein or a branch of the jugular vein was harvested and placed into a femoral artery defect, using standard microvascular techniques to achieve end-to-end anastomoses with 11-0 nylon suture. The technique requires a high level of microsurgical experience and competence. Success rates (vessel patency) were higher with moderate systemic heparinization (200 units/kg body weight, single i.v. bolus). Vein grafts were successfully transplanted between syngenic C57Bl/6J mice, with patency demonstrated from 1 day to 3 months postoperatively. The model is applicable to studies of vein graft stenosis using murine transgenic/knockout models.