ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Vascular autografts are commonly used to repair damage to blood vessels; however, they can be used only with small-caliber vessels. Although synthetic vascular grafts are good options, there may be a high likelihood of thrombus formation. METHODS: An experimental animal model was used in order to evaluate feasibility and viability of a vascular autograft. Under inhalatory anesthesia, seven mongrel dogs were operated on. A 4-cm vascular autograft was created with the posterior rectus aponeurosis with subjacent peritoneum, leaving the second one as the internal sheath. A 2-cm-long portion of the abdominal aorta was removed and the vascular autograft was inserted by end-end surgical anastomosis. Animals were observed for 7 weeks, evaluating clinical data of vascular insufficiency (intensity of pulse, temperature and trophic changes of the legs). At the end of the experiment, aortography under fluoroscopic visualization was performed. Dogs were sacrificed and autograft removed in order to evaluate permeability. RESULTS: All dogs survived until the end of the procedure. Vascular autograft was easy to create. During surgery, no evidence of bleeding of the anastomosis or the graft suture was noted. At the end of the procedure, no clinical signs of vascular insufficiency were noted; radiographic evaluation of the autograft showed no dye leakage at any level. Autografts were removed and no signs of thrombus formation were noticed. CONCLUSIONS: Feasibility of the vascular autograft was demonstrated with good permeability and no thrombogenicity.