A review of the histologic changes in vein-to-artery grafts, with particular reference to intimal hyperplasia
R. J. Dilley, J. K. McGeachie and F. J. Prendergast
Department of Anatomy and Human Biology, University of Western Australia, Nedlands.
This article reviews the success of vein-to-artery grafts and the published
data on patency rates and the major causes for graft failure, ie, intimal
hyperplasia and atherosclerosis. It concentrates on the histogenesis of
intimal hyperplasia and describes the histologic changes that occur in a
vein graft after its insertion. The origin and behavior of intimal
smooth-muscle cells are discussed in detail, with particular reference to
their role in intimal hyperplasia. A brief experimental section is included
to show the specific identification of vein-graft intimal smooth-muscle
cells using light-microscopic histochemistry and electron microscopy.