Cuff Technique for Small-Diameter Vascular Grafts in the Systemic Arterial Circulation of the Rat

Abstract

This study determined the feasibility of the cuff technique for small-caliber vascular grafts in a rat model. A graft was implanted with the cuff technique or suture technique in a 1-cm segment of the abdominal aorta in 12 rats. The mean aortic clamp time was 29 minutes with the cuff technique and 44 minutes with the suture technique; the cuff technique was significantly shorter. Abdominal angiography at 1 week after implantation showed no significant stenosis in 9 rats, focal stenosis of the mid-portion of the graft in 1 rat with each technique, and total occlusion of the graft in 1 rat with the suture technique. We have successfully used the cuff technique for anastomosis for small-caliber vascular grafts in an animal model.

Keywords: Animal model; Cuff technique; Vascular grafts.

Fig. 1

Schematic diagram of cuff technique. (A) Insertion of abdominal aorta through the cuff. (B) Eversion of aorta and fastening of everted aorta over cuff with a black silk circumferential ligature. (C) Insertion of abdominal aorta into the artificial graft. (D) Fastening of artificial graft to the abdominal aorta and completion of anastomosis.

Fig. 2

Angiographic findings 1 week after implantation. (A) No stenosis: 2 arrows indicate proximal and distal anastomosis. The diameter of the mid-portion of the graft is larger than that of the proximal and distal ends. (B) Total occlusion: arrow indicates aneurysmal change of the midportion.