Development of a new vascular prosthetic: lessons learned
G. L. Kelly and B. Eiseman
In 1972, polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) (GoreTex) wire insulation was first
implanted into arteries and veins of dogs at the University of Colorado
Health Sciences Center in Denver. Subsequent modifications including
fibrillar arrangement, wall thickness, and pore size led to the development
of a vascular prosthesis with tissue ingrowth, viable neointima, and
encouraging patency rates. Tissue culture, surface charge, and platelet
studies have all demonstrated the optimal biologic qualities of PTFE
grafts. Replacement of one human portal vein by a PTFE graft for invasive
carcinoma of the pancreas was strikingly successful. Only unexplained
intimal hyperplasia at the arterial anastomotic margins discouraged us from
extensive early clinical trials.
