© 1997 by European Society of Cardiology
Copyright © 1997, European Society of Cardiology
Contrasting structure of the saphenous vein and internal mammary artery used as coronary bypass vessels
aDepartment of Medical Biophysics, University of Western Ontario, and John P. Robarts Research Institute, London, Ont. N6A 5C1, Canada
bDepartment of Medicine, University of Western Ontario, and John P. Robarts Research Institute, London, Ont. N6A 5C1, Canada
* Corresponding author. Tel.: +1 (519) 661-3053; fax: +1 (519) 661-2123; e-mail: medbpa@uwoadmin.uwo.ca
Objectives: To report quantitatively on the three-dimensional layered organization of the collagen and smooth muscle component of the two most successful vessels for coronary bypass—the internal mammary artery (IMA) and the long saphenous vein (SV). Our aim was to provide an explanation for the differential structural stiffness of these two vessels (both functioning at arterial pressures in their new environment), and how they might be susceptible to endothelial thickening. Methods: Eleven human saphenous veins and 23 internal mammary arteries were fixed at arterial distending pressure of 110 mmHg, and were sectioned in cross-section at 7 µm thickness. A subset of these was also sectioned tangentially. Measurements of the three-dimensional alignment of collagen and smooth muscle fibers within the vessel wall were made using polarized light microscopy and the universal stage attachment. Data were plotted and analysed using circular statistics. Results: The IMA, structured like an elastic artery, is dominated by a media with discrete lamellae of wavy collagen and smooth muscle, aligned nearly circumferentially, with a low variability of alignment (mean circular SD 12°). The SV is more variable in its size and structure, characteristically with a narrow circumferential media comprised mostly of collagen which is straightened and highly aligned at arterial pressures (mean circular SD 9°). Circumferential collagen in the vein was often adjacent to longitudinal bundles of smooth muscle and collagen. Conclusions: The strikingly aligned structure of the SV complements the known high mechanical stiffness of this vessel when at arterial distending pressure. The high fraction of longitudinal muscle, in addition to the circumferential muscle cells in the SV make it vulnerable to any pre-implant surgical preparation, and to the cyclical luminal pressures and longitudinal strains characteristic for epicardial arteries.
KEYWORDS Human, saphenous vein; Human, arteries; Coronary artery bypass grafting; Collagen, orientation; Polarized light microscopy; Stereology
CiteULike 
Connotea 
Del.icio.us What's this?
This article has been cited by other articles:
|
|
 |
|
  A. Jonsson, J. Jensen, A. Olsson, P. Holm, and J. Liska Follow-Up of Patients Operated on With Arterial Patch Angioplasty of the Left Main Coronary Artery Ann. Thorac. Surg., April 1, 2006; 81(4): 1249 - 1255. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
W. Stooker, M. Gok, P. Sipkema, H. W. M. Niessen, A. Baidoshvili, N. Westerhof, E. K. Jansen, C. R. H. Wildevuur, and L. Eijsman Pressure-diameter relationship in the human greater saphenous vein Ann. Thorac. Surg., November 1, 2003; 76(5): 1533 - 1538. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 M. Lauth, M.-M. Berger, M. Cattaruzza, and M. Hecker Pressure-Induced Upregulation of Preproendothelin-1 and Endothelin B Receptor Expression in Rabbit Jugular Vein In Situ : Implications for Vein Graft Failure? Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol, January 1, 2000; 20(1): 96 - 103. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
J. Liska, A. Jonsson, U. Lockowandt, I. Herzfeld, S. Gelinder, and A. Franco-Cereceda Arterial patch angioplasty for reconstruction of proximal coronary artery stenosis Ann. Thorac. Surg., December 1, 1999; 68(6): 2185 - 2189. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|