Academic Editors: Dragan M. Djuric and Teruo Inoue
Background: Saline is still the most widely used storage and rinsing
solution for vessel grafts during cardiac surgery despite knowing evidence of its
negative influence on the human endothelial cell function. Aim of this study was
to assess the effect of DuraGraft©, an intraoperative graft
treatment solution, on human saphenous vein segments and further elaborate the
vasoprotective effect on rat aortic segments in comparison to saline.
Methods: Human Saphenous vein (HSV) graft segments from patients
undergoing aortocoronary bypass surgery (n = 15), were randomized to
DuraGraft© (n = 15) or saline (n = 15) solution before
intraoperative storage. Each segment was divided into two subsegmental parts for
evaluation. These segments as well as rat aortic segments stored in
DuraGraft© underwent assessment of vascular function in a
multichamber isometric myograph system in comparison to Krebs-Henseleit solution
(KHS), a physiologic organ buffer solution. Results: Potassium-Chloride
(KCL)-induced contraction depicted a tendency towards increase when treated with
DuraGraft© compared to saline preservation of HSV segments (23.02