The purpose of this study was to evaluate an interposition of an arterial heterotopic homograft in the femoral artery of adult mongrel dogs. Eighteen dogs were used and distributed in three groups of six animals in order to study the results in 15 days (group I), 30 days (group II), 45 days (group III). Another three dogs were observed for 75 days (group IV). Grafts were preserved in glycerol 98% during a 60-180-day period. The graft was interposed in the femoral artery of each dog with the help of a surgical microscope under 6x magnification. Grafts were evaluated by clinical, arteriographic and histopathological examination. After implantation grafts presented cellular invasion of the adventicia and absence of cells in the media. The smooth muscle cells progressively disappeared and were replaced by collagen fiber deposition. There was no clinical or histopathological evidence of immunological reaction.
Dog; surgery; arterial graft; glycerol
