Morphologic quantitation of pseudointima and effects of antiplatelet drugs on vascular prostheses in goats

The natural process of endothelialization, pseudointimal formation, and connective tissue incorporation of the expanded PTFE grafts in the goat was documented through histologic examination of specimens harvested at 2, 4, 6, and 8 weeks. The goats demonstrated a progressive increase in pseudointimal pannus ingrowth from the anastomoses at a rate of 11.3 mm over a 12 week period. Histologic changes according to time of vascular graft incorporation in the goat model were found to be comparable to those of the dog, pig, and calf models reported in the literature. Platelet-inhibiting drugs, aspirin, dipyridamole, nifedipine, and ibuprofen were administered to goats after replacement of their infrarenal aorta with 5 cm of 8 mm diameter expanded PTFE grafts. The effects of the drugs on graft endothelialization and anastomotic pseudointimal formation was compared with those in the untreated control group after 12 weeks. Aspirin and dipyridamole had no detrimental effect on the healing process compared with the untreated control group. Studies with nifedipine and ibuprofen did not demonstrate a decrease in pseudointimal hyperplasia. Antiplatelet treatment resulted in no significant change in the rate of endothelialization of expanded PTFE grafts.