Necessity for elastic properties in synthetic arterial grafts

Angiography of the anastomotic sites of synthetic arterial grafts was undertaken to compare graft and host vessel distensibility properties. Results indicate that whereas the major arteries of the human body typically show diameter variations of greater than 10%, arterial prostheses currently used in cardiovascular surgery show diameter variations of the order of 1%. This implies that the prostheses have moduli of elasticity less than 10% of those of host arteries. The hemodynamic consequences of these large distensibility differences at the anastomotic site could be one reason for the high incidence of graft failure due to thrombosis and suture line disruption.