THE USE OF THE GASTROEPIPLOIC ARTERY FOR PERIPHERAL REVASCULARIZATION- A STUDY IN PIGS

Objectives: To use the autologous gastroepiploic artery (GEA) as arter ial bypass graft for peripheral revascularisation. We compared the dev elopment of intimal hyperplasia and nitric oxide (NO) capacity in GEA and internal jugular vein (IJV) implanted as peripheral grafts. Materi als and methods: In pigs the GEA was implanted into the right peripher al circulation as a femoropopliteal bypass graft. In the left peripher al circulation the IJV was implanted as a femoropopliteal graft. After 21 days all grafts were harvested. Vascular rings of each graft befor e and after operation were studied for NO capacity. The distal half of each graft was prepared for histomorphometric studies. Results: Admin istration of bradykinin to IJV and GEA induced relaxation. After impla ntation bradykinin resulted in contraction in IJV grafts, whereas in G EA grafts relaxation was reduced. In IJV grafts extensive intimal hype rplasia was formed, whereas in GEA grafts only small areas of intimal hyperplasia were formed. Conclusions: The functional studies lost NO c apacity in IJV grafts, whereas NO capacity in GEA grafts remained inta ct. Intimal hyperplasia in IJV grafts was extensive, whereas GEA graft s demonstrated preservation of pre-existent intimal architecture. Thes e results may encourage the application of the human GEA as bypass gra ft for reconstruction of arteries in the lower limb or foot.