FATE OF GELATIN-RESORCINOL-FORMALDEHYDE GLUTARALDEHYDE ADHESIVE ON FEMORAL VESSEL MORPHOLOGY/

Several clinical reports have demonstrated that gelatin-resorcinol-for maldehyde/glutaraldehyde (GRFG) glue can be useful in the repair of ac ute aortic dissection; however, the cellular and extracellular events that follow GRFG application, as well as the mechanisms responsible fo r the long-term strength and adhesive properties of GRFG;, remain uncl ear. Accordingly, the present study examined the long-term effects of GRFG adhesive application on femoral vessel extracellular structure an d composition. The left and right femoral artery and vein were sterile ly exposed in adult rats, and GRFG (2 mt) was applied between and arou nd one pair of vessels. An equivalent amount of sterile saline was app lied to the contralateral vessels to serve as an intrinsic control. At either 1 (n = 6) or 2 (n = 6) months postoperatively, the lower extre mities were perfusion fixed and harvested to preserve the native anato my and cytoarchitecture of the femoral region. Gross examination of th e specimens revealed no evidence of necrosis or wound breakdown. Tissu e blocks (4 mu m) were then sectioned perpendicular to the treated ves sel region and subjected to histomorphometric analysis using computer- assisted microscopy. The perivascular capsule area, relative content o f fibrillar collagen, and number of nucleated cells within the interst itial space were computed. At I and 2 months following the application of GRFG adhesive, perivascular capsular size increased by 42 and 221% , respectively. Perivascular interstitial collagen content increased b y 21% at 1 month and by 50% at 2 months. The nucleated cell number inc reased by 107% at 1 month and by 166% at 2 months. This cellular infil trate appeared to be of fibroblastic morphology. Thus, a potential con tributory mechanism to the long-term strength and adhesive capacities of GRFG adhesive may be extracellular remodeling and not the intrinsic properties of GRFG glue itself. (C) 1997 Academic Press.