[Morphological and functional studies on implanted arterial graft]

Early morphological and functional changes in arterial graft were studied. Autologous free graft of dog femoral artery or vein was implanted in the arterial system and the changes of endothelial cell by scanning electron microscope and prostacyclin levels were observed. In arterial graft, endothelial cell detachment after the implantation was rarely observed except the site with mechanical damage around the anastomosis. The site of cell detachment regenerated by 21 days after the implantation. The prostacyclin level was 2.5 pg/mg in venous graft or 35.9 pg/mg in arterial graft. The level in venous graft decreased after the implantation and it increased according to the cell regeneration, while the level was stable in arterial graft. The prostacyclin level of internal thoracic artery or gastroepiploic artery in clinical use was 54.5 pg/mg or 50.1 pg/mg, respectively. However the level in saphenous vein (SV) was 17.3 pg/mg and there were significant differences between the levels of arterial grafts and one of SV. Conclusively the arterial graft was superior to venous graft in early morphological and functional changes after the implantation and the superiority in early period after graft implantation may be one of the factor to contribute good graft patency in long term period.