Fate of small diameter cervical veins grafted into the common carotid arteries of growing rabbits

Abstract

Autogenous cervical veins were grafted into the common carotid arteries of rabbits during their active growing period. A patency rate of 58.8% was achieved but the thin-walled vein grafts underwent massive dilatation. This dilatation is likely to severely limit the usefulness of these veins as a source of bridging grafts in clinical practice, particularly for use within the intracranial cavity.