In Vivo Preclinical Quantitative Flow Analysis of Arterial Anastomosis Using a Microvascular Anastomotic Coupler and Clinical Application for Extracranial-to-Intracranial Bypass

Document Type

Article

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Although several commercially available sutureless anastomotic techniques are available, they are not routinely used in neurosurgery. We performed an in vivo flow analysis of end-to-end anastomosis using a microvascular coupler device in rats. We report our first clinical use of the microvascular anastomotic coupler. METHODS: Bilateral rat common carotid arteries (CCAs) were exposed, and a microvascular coupler was used to perform 8 anastomoses. A microflow probe provided quantitative measurement of blood-flow volume. Flow augmentation was assessed with end-to-side anastomoses connecting the distal CCA to the jugular vein (JV). A patient with chronic dominant hemisphere atherosclerotic ischemic disease and progressive symptoms refractory to medical management underwent end-to-end cerebral artery bypass using the microvascular coupler. RESULTS: Mean preanastomosis flow in the rat CCA was 3.95 ± 0.45 mL/min; this flow was maintained at 3.99 ± 0.24 mL/min on final measurements 54-96 minutes postanastomosis. Total occlusion time for each rat CCA was 12-19 minutes. After end-to-side anastomosis, with proximal and distal JV patent, CCA flow increased 477% to 22.8 ± 3.70 mL/min (P = 0.04, proximal; P = 0.01, distal). After in vivo testing, we successfully used the coupler clinically in a superficial temporal artery-to-middle cerebral artery bypass for dominant hemisphere flow augmentation. CONCLUSIONS: In vivo quantitative flow analysis demonstrated no flow difference between an unaltered artery and artery with end-to-end anastomosis using a microvascular coupler in rats. A 1-mm coupled anastomosis achieved a 4-fold flow increase with low-resistance venous outflow in rats, simulating increased arterial demand. The coupler was successfully used for extracranial-to-intracranial bypass in a patient.

Medical Subject Headings

Anastomosis, Surgical (methods); Animals; Humans; Microsurgery; Middle Cerebral Artery (surgery); Rats; Temporal Arteries (surgery); Vascular Surgical Procedures

Publication Date

5-1-2022

Publication Title

World neurosurgery

E-ISSN

1878-8769

Volume

161

First Page

e126

Last Page

e133

PubMed ID

35093577

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1016/j.wneu.2022.01.082

Share

COinS