Reduction of thrombogenicity in small-diameter vascular prostheses seeded with autologous endothelial cells

In a canine model small-diameter vascular grafts of knitted Dacron were seeded with autologous endothelial cells. Four weeks after surgery the grafts were removed. Seeded grafts showed a pseudo-intima covered by a monolayer, whereas control grafts showed a cellular lining only at the anastomoses. Graft pretreatment with either fibrin glue or autologous blood in combination with endothelial cell seeding promoted the neointima formation.