NONSUTURE END-TO-END MICROVASCULAR ANASTOMOSIS USING INTRAVASCULAR STENTS

The objective of this report is to describe a new method of nonsuture end-to-end microvascular anastomosis. The vessels to be anastomosed ar e prepared separately before division by inserting a cylinder-shaped i ntravascular stent into each vessel. The anastomosis is completed afte r dividing the vessels. The vessels containing the stents are approxim ated. The anastomosis is then performed by sliding the stents into eac h other and is kept together by the force of friction. The method was used for anastomosing the aorta, end to end, in seven rats. The rats s urvived for one to 25 days with a radiological patent aorta and a fibr ous healing of the vessels. This method has a potential use for microv ascular anastomosis.