Polyurethane Peripheral Venous Catheter as a Permanent Microvascular Graft in a Rat Model: Potential Application as an Artificial Vascular Graft in Digital Replantation.

BACKGROUND: Restoring vascular continuity is crucial in digital replantation when direct anastomosis is not possible. Although autologous vein grafts are standard, they pose technical challenges and donor-site morbidity. This study evaluated the short-term patency and histopathological response of inexpensive and readily available polyurethane peripheral venous catheters (PPVC) grafts in a rat femoral artery model.

METHODS: Twenty male Wistar Albino rats were randomly divided into 2 groups: PPVC graft (n = 10) and autologous vein graft (n = 10). A 5-mm femoral artery defect was repaired with either a 26G PPVC or a contralateral femoral vein segment. After 3 weeks, vascular patency was assessed by ultrasonography and histopathology. Thrombus formation, fibrosis, neovascularization, calcification, and inflammatory infiltration were semiquantitatively scored (0-3). Statistical analysis was performed using the Mann-Whitney U and Fisher exact tests, with P < 0.05 considered significant.

RESULTS: Compared with the autograft group, the PPVC group demonstrated significantly higher scores for thrombus formation (P < 0.001), fibrosis (P = 0.002), neovascularization (P = 0.001), and inflammatory infiltration (P = 0.003). Calcification was not observed in either group. Severe thrombus formation occurred in one rat in the autograft group and 3 in the PPVC group. Despite these findings, no clinical signs of ischemia, including discoloration or gait impairment, were observed during follow-up.

CONCLUSION: PPVC grafts are technically feasible and show partial biological integration within 3 weeks. However, higher thrombosis, fibrosis, and inflammation indicate limited short-term patency compared with autologous grafts. Further studies with longer follow-up and surface modifications are needed.