Endothelial cell seeding improves 4 mm PTFE vascular graft performance in antiplatelet medicated dogs

The ideal prosthetic vascular graft for the replacement or bypass of small vessels has not yet been developed. Many studies have documented the success of endothelial cell seeding in small-diameter Dacron grafts, but few have reported the application of this protocol to small-diameter PTFE grafts, and none have reported seeding small-diameter PTFE grafts in antiplatelet medicated dogs. The present study was undertaken to assess the efficacy of endothelial cell seeding of small-diameter (4 mm ID) PTFE (Gore-Tex) carotid artery interposition grafts in the antiplatelet medicated dog. Twenty-five male mongrel dogs were included in this study. In each dog one carotid artery was replaced with an endothelial cell seeded PTFE graft; the contralateral artery was replaced with a nonseeded graft. The in vivo progress of graft performance was evaluated from 1 to 4 weeks postoperatively. The endothelial cell seeded grafts achieved significantly higher patencies and mean thrombus-free surfaces than nonseeded grafts. Midgraft endothelium was identified only on the seeded grafts at 3 and 4 weeks, with a maximal luminal coverage of 10-12%. The measurements of prostacyclin (PGI2) production indicated that the antiplatelet agent therapy did inhibit endothelial cell cyclooxygenase. The presence of outer capsule vasa vasora, anastomotic pannus ingrowth, transinterstitial cellular ingrowth, and thin inner capsules characterized the endothelial cell seeded grafts in contrast to the nonseeded grafts. We conclude that enhancement of graft performance is achieved by combining both an antiplatelet regimen and endothelial cell seeding in small-diameter PTFE vascular grafts.