Acute Intraoperative Arterial Elongation: an Experimental Study

• Published in: European journal of vascular and endovascular surgery Vol. 22; no. 1; pp. 44 - 47
• Main Authors: Posacıoğlu, H, Yağdı, T, Atay, Y, İslamoğlu, F, Çalkavur, T, Durmaz, İ
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01-07-2001
• Subjects: Animals; Arterial defect; Arterial elongation; Arterial trauma; Arteries - injuries; Arteries - surgery; Arteries - ultrastructure; Dogs; Feasibility Studies; Vascular Surgical Procedures; Arterial elongation; Arterial trauma; Arterial defect
• ISSN: 1078-5884; 1532-2165
• DOI: 10.1053/ejvs.2001.1379

Objectives: small arterial defects resulting from either trauma or resection of an aneurysm often present difficult problems to the vascular surgeon. Design: to demonstrate that certain arterial gaps as a result of traumatic injury or aneurysm resection could be closed with acute intraoperative arterial elongation. Materials: fifteen mongrel dogs underwent acute intraoperative arterial elongation of the right superficial femoral artery, with the left side used for a control vessel. Methods: arterial defects created surgically (median 50 (range 25 to 60 mm) mm). Appropriate length of artery was then undermined. A Foley catheter was placed proximally and distally directly beneath this undermined portion of vessel. The vessel is lengthened following 3 expansion/relaxation cycle of Foley catheter. Arterial gaps were closed by end to end anastomosis. Arterial pressure study was performed in all vessels. Results: acutely, arterial pressure differences proximal and distal to the anastomosis were seen only when arterial gaps were exceeded 55 mm. There was no occlusion either acutely or after 4 weeks follow-up period. Light microscopic examination of arterial specimens revealed partial disruption of internal elastic lamina. At the end of the follow-up period, formation of neointima with regeneration of the internal elastic lamina was demonstrated. Scanning electron microscopy revealed minimal endothelial denudation. Conclusions: we believe that, acute intraoperative elongation can be used as an alternative technique to vein grafting for the repair of small traumatic arterial defects in selected cases.