[The telescoping anastomotic technique: experimental efficacy for autogenous microvessel grafting]

An experimental study was performed to investigate the efficacy of the telescoping anastomotic technique for microvessel grafting. The left femoral artery was grafted into a defect in the right femoral artery in 51 rats using the telescoping technique for both the proximal and distal anastomoses. The inferior epigastric vein was grafted in situ in a further 42 rats using the same technique for both the proximal and distal anastomoses as a model of venous grafting for a venous defect. Arterial and venous grafting was performed using the conventional technique in additional rats for control purposes. The time required for anastomosis by the telescoping technique was about half that required by the conventional technique. The patency rate of the 51 arterial grafts was 51/51 (100%), and that of the 42 venous grafts was 40/42 (95.2%). In the histological examinations, the arterial grafts by the telescoping technique showed some stenosis at the site of the anastomosis at 1 week and 3 weeks postoperatively. The venous grafts, however, showed little stenosis at the site of the anastomosis at 1 and 3 weeks postoperatively. The telescoping anastomotic technique was useful for microvessel grafting and effective for saving time.