Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 1996 Oct;12(3):272-81.
doi: 10.1016/s1078-5884(96)80244-9.

Arterial homografts

Affiliations
Free article
Review

Arterial homografts

A D Callow. Eur J Vasc Endovasc Surg. 1996 Oct.
Free article

Abstract

Arterial allografts, formerly called homografts, came into limited use in the 1940s and 1950s as arterial substitutes. Fresh allografts underwent rapid rejection. Preserved allografts had a longer but still limited clinical life. Allografts demonstrated that arterial replacement was a valid concept and led to the development of synthetic substitutes. Recent renewed interest is based on the need for graft replacements in re-do procedures and in an infected field. Even the best methods of graft procurement and preservation do not preserve normal endothelial and smooth muscle cell functions nor eliminate antigenicity. The biologic and economic costs of immune suppression to obtain a successful allograft for an ischaemic limb are presently unjustifiable. Transplantation between species (xenotransplantation) may be attainable via selective inhibition of the complement system avoiding full immunosuppression now required for organ transplantation. At present allografts may be an acceptable choice for the patient with (1) a critical need for revascularisation and with a life expectancy not exceeding that of the graft, (2) in urgent vascular trauma, and (3) where immunosuppression is contraindicated as in an infected surgical field. Except in most unusual circumstances allografts should not be used for (1) relief of claudication, (2) in the above mid-calf location and (3) anatomic locations where synthetic grafts are superior.

PubMed Disclaimer

Similar articles

Cited by

MeSH terms

LinkOut - more resources