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.