Morphologic Analysis of Artificial Blood Conduits in the Short-Term Carotid Artery Test

Different analyses (SEM (scanning electron microscopy), light microscopy, nuclear medical investigations) must be added to short-term carotid artery test, in order to allow a real prediction of the behavior of suitable vascular grafts in the in-vivo long-term test. Comparing 60 experimental implantations (5 differ ent prosthetic materials) in carotid artery position with more than 150 vascular grafts in long-term in-vivo tests led to a new point system to appraise the various parameters of the short-term method numerically. An initial thrombogenicity of the prosthetic wall and the formation of an intramural thrombogenic matrix were found to be prerequisites for the ingrowth of connective tissue, trans- prosthetic microvascularization, and multifocal spontaneous endothelial lining.