INCREASED THROMBOGENICITY AFTER POLYMER COATING - EXPERIENCES WITH THE FIRST VERSION OF A NEW WOVEN DACRON GRAFT FOR AORTIC RECONSTRUCTION

Objective. To assess the initial results of insertion of a new woven D acron graft coated with a polymer for occlusive and aneurysmal aortoil iac disease. Design: Open study. Setting: Four Swedish vascular surgic al units. Subjects: 28 patients who required aortoiliac or aortofemora l reconstruction between September 1988 and June 1989. Main outcome me asures: Incidence of, and time to, occlusion; type of intervention; wh ether the graft needed to be replaced; and mortality. Results: Two pat ients died in the postoperative period, and five during follow-up, giv ing an overall mortality of 25%. None of the tube grafts occluded but 17 of 24 bifurcation grafts did (71%), the median time to occlusion be ing 126 days (range 10-820). Our results have led to this graft being removed from the market while modifications are made in the process of impregonation of polymer. Conclusions: Strict protocols for the asses sment of new graft materials should be introduced and enforced.