Dacron arterial grafts

Polymeric materials explored as vascular gr resulting in woven and knitted Dacron arterial grafts of today. 

Poly(ethylene terephthalate) (Dacron) proved to be the suitable material and even to this day remains the most used polymer for the purpose. The textile industrial already had techniques of seamless tubular weaving and these were readily applied to the manufacture of arterial grafts. However, the essential need for a strong. 

Grafts are also frequently employed in the upper part of the body to reconstmct damaged portions of the aorta and carotid arteries. In addition, grafts are used to access the vascular system, such as in hemodialysis to avoid damage of vessels from repeated needle punctures. Most grafts are synthetic and made from materials such as Dacron or Teflon. Less than 5% of grafts utilized are made from biological materials. 

Schurmann K, Vorwerk D, Uppenkamp R, et al. Iliac arteries plain and heparin-coated Dacron-covered stent-grafts compared with noncovered metal stents-an experimental study. Radiology 1997 203(l) 55-63. 

Chandran, K.B., Gao, D., Han, G., Baraniewski, H., and Corson, J.D. 1992. Finite element analysis of arterial anastomosis with vein, Dacron and PTFE grafts. Med. Biol. Eng. Comp. 30 413-418. 

Vascular grafts are used in surgery to replace damaged thick arteries or veins 6 mm, 8 mm, or 1 cm in diameter. Commercially available vascular grafts are produced from polyester (e.g. Dacron) or PTFE (e.g. Teflon) with either woven or knitted structures... 

Figure 2.5 (a) Umbilical cord with central vein and smaller snrronnding arteries (left panel). This is clearly demonstrated on the microscopic view (right panel) (b) human umbilical cord vein manufactured as a vascular prosthesis including an outer Dacron mesh (c) retention of graft architecture with glutaraldehyde processing at 2 weeks, 8 months, and 2 years. 

Figure 2.11 Patient had undergone a femoral peroneal bypass using a Dacron graft (large arrow) with a distal arteriovenous fistula (dAVF) constructed at the distal anastomosis. The peroneal artery (P) runoff is depicted by an arrow and smaller arrows point to the venous return via the fistula that removes the overload to the distal circulation, enabling improved graft patency.

Wukasch DC, Cooley DA, Bennett JG, Gontijo B and Bongiorno FP. Results of a new Meadox Cooley Double velour Dacron graft for arterial reconstruction. /. Cardiovasc. Surg. 20 249-260,1979. 

---