Sutureless vascular anastomosis with biocompatible heat-shrink tubing.

We have tested a new method of vascular repair using biocompatible, low-temperature, heat-shrinkable tubing on canine carotid arteries. All of 16 canine carotid arteries were patent immediately after the anastomosis. None of the anastomoses leaked after the clamps were released. Average time from severing the vessel to releasing the clamps was 12 minutes. At 2 weeks, nine of 12 vessels were patent; the three failures were attributed to infection of a seroma that occurred in all of the dogs' necks. Histologic evaluation of the uninfected cases showed no inflammatory exudate around the prosthesis. Macroscopic and electron microscopic examination confirmed healing of the endothelium across the anastomoses. Sutureless vascular anastomosis with biocompatible heat-shrink tubing is a potential new modality for the acute repair of severed vessels.