ENDOTHELIAL SODDING OF THE PERMAFLOW PROSTHETIC CORONARY-ARTERY BYPASS CONDUIT

Background. Experiments were designed to determine the feasibility of sodding an endothelial monolayer within the lumen of a prosthetic cond uit applied to the canine coronary circulation. Methods. Autologous en dothelial cells were sodded onto the luminal surface of the Permaflow conduit and immediately implanted to bypass the left circumflex corona ry artery in adult mongrel dogs (n = 9). Unsodded Permaflow conduits w ere implanted as controls (n = 8). At 3 weeks, grafts were explanted a nd examined by scanning electron microscopy and immunostained for cani ne von Willebrand factor. Results. Sodded grafts contained a confluent endothelial cell layer devoid of adherent thrombus or platelets and s tained positively for canine von Willebrand factor. Unsodded grafts co ntained no endothelium and retained adherent platelets, collagen, and fibrin. Effluent from sodded grafts stimulated with calcium ionophore A23187 caused a significantly greater relaxation of its bioassay ring than effluent from unsodded grafts (60% +/- 21% versus 12% +/- 5%; n = 8, p < 0.03). Conclusions. Sodding of endothelial cells onto a Permaf low coronary artery bypass graft results in a confluent, viable, nonth rombogenic, endothelial monolayer and releases vasodilator substances in response to calcium ionophore A23187. Endothelial sodding may optim ize prosthetic grafts. (Ann Thorac Surg 1998;66:1191-7) (C) 1998 by Th e Society of Thoracic Surgeons.