Effect of suture technique on arterial anastomotic compliance

To determine the immediate effect of running and interrupted suture on anastomotic compliance, catheters were positioned in both femoral arteries of ten dogs for pressure measurement and introduction of an electromagnetic rheoangiometry loop probe. Changes in the area of the loop allowed simultaneous determination of the static and pulsatile internal diameter of the vessel when the loop was in an externally induced magnetic field. After dynamic diameter compliance (Cd) of the undisturbed femoral arteries was obtained, they were exposed, stripped of their adventitia, and divided. They were subsequently anastomosed with 6-0 polypropylene suture using a running anastomosis for one femoral artery and an interrupted anastomosis for the other; Cd was then measured 1 cm proximal to the anastomoses, at the anastomoses, and 1 cm distal to the anastomoses. The Cd significantly decreased with both running and interrupted anastomoses; running anastomoses showed significantly greater decrease in compliance than did interrupted.