The effect of prostaglandin E1 (PGE1; Prostavasin), a powerful platelet blocking agent, was assessed on various new synthetic or biological prostheses in a 6-min in vivo extra corporal arterio-venous (AV) shunt. In eight anaesthetised and heparinised minipigs (weight 25.1 +/- 1.9 kg) the following materials were tested before and during PGE1 infusion (alprostadil-alpha-CD; 40 micrograms/50 ml NaCl/50 min or 0.8 microgram/min): PTFE, (Gore-tex, TW, 4 mm ID); Xenograft, Biologic (Solcograft, 5 mm ID), (non-porous) and Dacron (Atrium, 4 mm ID); polyurethane 1 (Braun-Melsungen, 4 mm ID); polyurethane 2 (S. Gogolewski, 4 mm ID), (porous). Technetium-labelled platelet deposition and blood flow were measured; morphology was assessed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and histology. Compared to control levels, PGE1 infusion had a significant systemic effect on mean arterial pressure required by the protocol (MAP 82.6 vs. 66.6 mm Hg; p < 0.001) and flow (173.6 vs. 134.8 mm/min; p < 0.001). Standardised platelet counts per area showed a marked overall decrease from 197 to 130 counts/min/mm2; NS). The morphological assessment by SEM showed a slight increase of surface cellular deposition (score: 6.7 vs. 8.3), the histology score being unchanged (3.9 vs. 3.7). Looking at deposition of platelets for each prosthesis, the porous materials showed a net improvement after PGE1 treatment as compared to non-porous materials. We conclude that PGE1 may be of benefit by reducing platelet deposition in synthetic porous vascular prostheses in the early phase.

Prosthetic vascular replacement materials are still suboptimal especially for distal peripheral and coronary bypass grafts due to the small caliber and high occlusion rates. Therefore new vascular grafts have been assessed with respect to blood compatibility, thrombogenicity and host pretreatment. In 12 heparinized minipigs (25 kg), a total of 120 small caliber grafts (i.d. 3.0 mm) were perfused (6 min) in a femoro-femoral arteriovenous shunt (AVS). Materials included: Dacron (Atrium), PTFE (Gore), Polyurethanes (PU), Auto- and Xenografts. Animals were treated preoperatively with fishoil (3 g EPA/QD x 3 weeks = group I), perioperatively with prostaglandins (PGE1 = group II) or with fishoil and graft incubation in plasma proteins (= group III) and compared to controls without pretreatment (= group 0). We measured flow, deposition of marked thrombocytes (HMPAO-Tc* per area and per weight). - Blood flow was similar in AVS for all groups and materials (168 +/- 86 ml/min, p = NS). There was no significant correlation in deposition of marked thrombocytes and host pretreatments (group 0: controls = 7356 counts/area, group I: fishoil = 6807, group II: PGE1 = 7864). However graft incubation in plasma proteins significantly lowered deposition of marked thrombocytes (1766 in group III vs. 7356 in group 0: p < 0.05). And significant differences of thrombocyte counts where found between the different materials: Autografts < PTFE < Xenografts < Small Pore PU < Dacron < Large Pore PU. - AVS is a useful tool to determine early thrombogenicity in prosthetic vascular replacement materials and to assess the effect of different host pretreatments.

Prosthetic vascular replacement materials are still suboptimal especially for distal peripheral and coronary bypass grafts due to the small caliber and high occlusion rates. Therefore new vascular grafts have been assessed with respect to blood compatibility, thrombogenicity and host pretreatment. In 12 heparinized minipigs (25 kg), a total of 120 small caliber grafts (i.d. 3.0 mm) were perfused (6 min) in a femoro-femoral arteriovenous shunt (AVS). Materials included: Dacron (Atrium), PTFE (Gore), Polyurethanes (PU), Auto- and Xenografts. Animals were treated preoperatively with fishoil (3 g EPA/QD x 3 weeks = group I), perioperatively with prostaglandins (PGE1 = group II) or with fishoil and graft incubation in plasma proteins (= group III) and compared to controls without pretreatment (= group 0). We measured flow, deposition of marked thrombocytes (HMPAO-Tc* per area and per weight). - Blood flow was similar in AVS for all groups and materials (168 +/- 86 ml/min, p = NS). There was no significant correlation in deposition of marked thrombocytes and host pretreatments (group 0: controls = 7356 counts/area, group I: fishoil = 6807. group II: PGE1 = 7864). However graft incubation in plasma proteins significantly lowered deposition of marked thrombocytes (1766 in group III vs. 7356 in group 0: p less than 0.05). And significant differences of thrombocyte counts where found between the different materials: Autografts less than PTFE less than Xenografts less than Small Pore PU less than Dacron less than Large Pore PU.--AVS is a useful tool to determine early thrombogenicity in prosthetic vascular replacement materials and to assess the effect of different host pretreatments.