Comparison of straight and Venaflo-type cuffed arteriovenous ePTFE grafts in an animal study.

Background: The long-term prognosis of arteriovenous (AV) polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) hemodialysis grafts is dissatisfying. Responsible for the poor outcome is a stenosis of the venous anastomosis. This originates from both pseudointimal (PI) and neointimal hyperplasia (IH) development.

Embolization of experimental wide-necked aneurysms with iodine-containing polyvinyl alcohol solubilized in a low-angiotoxicity solvent.

Background And Purpose: To evaluate the ready-to-use iodine-containing polyvinyl alcohol (I-PVA) dissolved in the low angiotoxic solvent N-methyl pyrrolidone (NMP) for embolization of porcine wide-necked aneurysms.

Methods: Fourteen broad-based carotid sidewall aneurysms were surgically constructed in 7 swine. I-PVA (40%) in NMP was injected under temporary balloon occlusion bridging the aneurysm neck.

PEG-hirudin/iloprost coating of small diameter ePTFE grafts effectively prevents pseudointima and intimal hyperplasia development.

Objectives: Small diameter PTFE grafts are prone to thrombosis and intimal hyperplasia development. Heparin graft coating has beneficial effects but also potential drawbacks. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the experimental efficacy of PEG-hirudin/iloprost coated small caliber PTFE grafts.

[Resection and reconstruction of the retrohepatic vena cava in combination with liver resections].

Liver resection combined with the resection and reconstruction of the vena cava represents the only potential curative therapy for malignant hepatic tumors with invasion of the vena cava. We performed a liver resection with segmental replacement of the retrohepatic vena cava by synthetic grafts in 29 patients. In three cases, the additional presence of central involvement of all three hepatic veins required ex situ tumor resection.