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Human Saphenous Vein Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Morphology, Geometry and Hemodynamics

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Abstract

Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) failure has been linked to graft hemodynamics, in particular wall shear stress. This study characterizes the morphology, geometry and wall shear stress patterns in human CABGs. The intimal thickness (IT) in 49 human saphenous vein CABGs was measured by digital light microscopy. The geometry of six saphenous vein CABGs was replicated by post-mortem infusion of Batson’s #17 anatomical corrosion casting compound. Graft hemodynamics were evaluated in two flow models, fabricated from the casts, under steady (Re = 110) and pulsatile flow (Re = 110, α = 2) conditions. Saphenous vein CABGs in situ for more than 2 months had, on average, the greatest IT on the hood and suture sites of the distal anastomosis. Floor thickening was highly variable and significantly less than IT at the hood, suture site and graft body. All casts showed an indentation along the floor and 5/6 casts displayed a sharp local curvature on the hood. In both flow models, a large increase in wall shear rate occurred on the hood, just proximal to the toe. The local geometry of the hood created this large spatial gradient in wall shear stress which is a likely factor in hood intimal hyperplasia.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemical Engineering, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec

    Richard L. Leask

  2. Department of Pathology, Toronto General Hospital, UHN, Toronto, ON

    Jagdish Butany

  3. Department of Surgery, Toronto General Hospital, UHN, Toronto, ON

    K. Wayne Johnston & Matadial Ojha

  4. Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering, Toronto, ON

    K. Wayne Johnston, C. Ross Ethier & Matadial Ojha

  5. Department Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON

    C. Ross Ethier

  6. Department of Chemical Engineering, McGill University, 3610 University St., Montreal, Quebec, H3A 2B2

    Richard L. Leask

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Correspondence to Richard L. Leask.

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Leask, R.L., Butany, J., Johnston, K.W. et al. Human Saphenous Vein Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Morphology, Geometry and Hemodynamics. Ann Biomed Eng 33, 301–309 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10439-005-1732-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10439-005-1732-z

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