New microvascular anastomotic device for end-to-side anastomosis using negative pressure; a preliminary study

Abstract

We previously developed a device for end-to-end anastomosis powered by negative pressure and demonstrated that using the device allow the operator to anastomose semi-automatically with little stress. Here, we sought to build a device for and demonstrate that negative pressure can also be used in end-to-side anastomosis which is clinically popular as end-to-end anastomosis through animal experiment using rats.

The devices were constructed with a laser lithographic/3D-printing machine. Nine SD rats were used. Each of the nine rats underwent end-to-side anastomosis between the superficial epigastric vein and the femoral vein using the device. Rat was anesthetized one week later and the anastomotic site was inspected through operative microscope for patency. The anastomotic site was harvested with the device and the rat was euthanized. The anastomotic site was embedded in epon, sectioned, stained with toluidine blue, and analyzed with light microscopy. Eight of the nine anastomoses were patent immediately after the procedures, and two of the nine were patent at 1 week after the procedures. In the failed cases, the vessels dislocated from the device because the clamps loosened during the observation period after the operation. The experiments have shown that the device using negative pressure can also be applied to end-to-side microvascular anastomosis. The patency rate is low and further improvement is required.

Keywords:

• Device
• microvascular anastomosis
• lymphatico-venular anastomosis (LVA)
• negative pressure vacuum

Disclosure statement

All authors have and declare that: no support, financial or otherwise, has been received from any organization that may have an interest in the submitted work; and there are no other relationships or activities that could appear to have influenced the submitted work.

Additional information

Funding

This research was supported by a Grant-in-Aid for Exploratory Research in 2010, funded by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology [MEXT; approval number: 22659321] and the Adaptable and Seamless Technology Transfer Program through target-driven R&D (A-STEP) in 2010, funded by the Japan Science and Technology Agency [approval number: AS221Z00471F].