A Dissolvable Intralumental Stent for Sutureless Vascular Anastomasis

Abstract

A soluble intralumenal stent for vascular anastomosis was prepared from glucose, Dextran-40 and heparin. The solubility of the stent was tested in vitro and in vivo. Animal tests were carried out with femoral arteries of rabbits. In comparison with the literature reported surgar and poly(ethylene glycol, PEG) stents, shorter dissolving time and higher patency (or survival) rate were obtained. Cell culture experiments suggested that the heparin containing glucose and Dextran-40 stent (H-sugar) had no irritation and toxicity to the endothelia cells. No thrombosis was observed from the in vivo tests in 2 months after the anastomosis. Such a heparin containing sugar stent is a promising candidate for fast sutureless anastomosis of vessels in non-trauma surgery.