Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 28, 2026
Surgical Technique for the Implantation of Tissue Engineered Vascular Grafts and Subsequent In Vivo Monitoring
Published on: April 3, 2015
Small calibre biosynthetic bacterial cellulose blood vessels: 13-months patency in a sheep model
Carl Johan Malm1, Bo Risberg, Aase Bodin
1Department of Cardiovascular Surgery and Anesthesia, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden.
Objectives:
Many patients in need of bypass surgery lack graft material and current synthetic alternatives have poor performance. A 4 mm vascular graft composed of bacterial cellulose (BC) was developed and tested in pilot study in a large animal model.
Design:
BC is a biopolymer made by the bacteria acetobacter xylinum. BC grafts (n = 16) with 4 cm length and 4 mm internal diameter were implanted bilaterally in the carotid arteries of eight sheep. No long-term antithrombotic therapy was administered. Patency was assessed with ultrasound. Histology, immunohistochemistry, and electron microscopy were performed after explantation.
Results:
Fifty percent of the grafts occluded within two weeks. One animal died with patent grafts after 14 days. In the three remaining animals 5/6 grafts were patent after nine months. Two animals were followed 13 months after implantation with 3/4 grafts patent at explantation. All patent grafts had confluent endothelial-like cells.
Conclusions:
Biosynthetic small calibre vascular grafts made from BC can be patent for up to 13 months in sheep carotid arteries. BC is a potential material for small calibre grafts but patency in animal models needs to be improved before clinical studies can be planned.
