[Biomechanical study of the vasomotor system of the arterial smooth muscle after long-term cryopreservation of a human arterial graft at two different temperatures -80 and -150C].

We conducted two parallel studies on cryopreserved arterial homografts: a biomechanical study based on traction tests and a functional study coupled with a histology examination. Twenty-four arterial segments from 6 donors (2 iliac and 2 superficial femoral segments per donor) were cryopreserved at -150 degrees C and -80 degrees C. Cryopreservation lasted at least 6 months. Lengthening at rupture, the Young elasticity module, and rupture stress were calculated from the traction test. Results were significantly different depending on the preservation temperature. The functional properties of the cryopreserved arterial grafts were evaluated by studying the vasomotricity capacity of the vascular smooth muscle (VSM) and the endothelium. The expected results (direct contracture of VSM induced by PHE and endothelial dependent relaxation of VSM induced by ACH) were measured on fresh arteries. Cryopreserved arteries showed no response to physiological doses of PHE and ACH, whatever the preservation temperature. In one-third of the cases, a lower amplitude vasoconstriction was obtained using nonphysiological doses of PHE; there was no relaxation with ACH.