Quantitative analysis of anastomotic intimal hyperplasia in paired Dacron and PTFE grafts

The purpose of this investigation was to compare and contrast the occurrence and progression of anastomotic intimal hyperplasia in two commonly used prosthetic arterial grafts. Twenty paired carotid artery interposition grafts of Dacron and PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene) were implanted in a canine model. The grafts were electively removed at intervals from one week to seven months or at the time of thrombosis. Areas of hyperplastic growth were determined at each anastomosis using a quantitative histologic technique. The number of grafts quantitatively evaluated was 16 Dacron and 12 PTFE, excluding all thrombosed grafts. In both materials, hyperplasia occurred to a significantly greater degree at the distal or downstream anastomosis as compared with the proximal or upstream anastomosis (Dacron P less than 0.001, PTFE P less than 0.05). Quantitative and qualitative evaluation of these two commonly used but different arterial grafts did not demonstrate a significant difference in the occurrence of anastomotic hyperplasia.