Vessel Anastomosis Using a Venous Cuff and Two Sutures: An Experimental Study in Rat Femoral and Epigastric Vessels

ABSTRACT

Using rat femoral and epigastric vessels, the efficacy of an autogenous venous cuff and reduction in the number of required sutures were examined. Cut vessels were anastomosed with two sutures using 11-0 nylon, and the anastomotic site was covered with a venous cuff. After two weeks, the patency of the anastomosed vessels was evaluated. Although results in large-caliber femoral veins were poor, the femoral arteries and epigastric vessels demonstrated high patency rates. In microscopic and scanning electron microscopic evaluations, gaps and depressions between sutures were observed, but they were smoothly covered by endothelium. These results suggest the usefulness of the venous cuff in microvascular surgery, especially in anastomosing fine-caliber vessels.