Healing and Long-Term Viability of Grafts in the Venae Cavae Reconstruction

This study was supported by grants N. 83.00438.04, N. 84.01761.04, and N. 85.00500.04 from Italian C.N.R. The need for superior vena cava (SVC) or inferior vena cava (IVC) recon-struction is not uncommon: lung cancer, mediastinal tumors, or retroperitoneal neoplasms are the most frequent indications for caval replacement. Since auto-genous veins, which represent the most satisfactory venous substitute, have not been applicable to caval replacement, because of the lack of suitable length and caliber, many types of materials have been tested in the venous system. The present study was planned to compare the potential of expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (e-PTFE) and glutaraldehyde-tanned human umbilical vein (HUV) grafts as caval substitutes. Patch (4 x 5 cm) reconstruction of the SVC was carried out in 10 dogs, tubu-lar (3 x 10 mm) reconstruction of the SVC in 5 dogs, and patch (1 x 2 cm) recon-struction of the IVC in 8 dogs. In the patch reconstruction groups, HUV grafts were used in half of the cases and 30 μm pore sizes e-PTFE grafts in the othe