Intraarterial 9-β-methyl carbacyclin improves canine polytetrafluoroethylene graft patency

This study examined the effect of 9-β-methyl carbacyclin, a synthetic, stable prostacyclin analog, on canine polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) graft patency. Twenty-five dogs had 4mm × 7 cm PTFE grafts implanted bilaterally into the femoral arteries. A subcutaneous infusion pump was used to deliver either saline solution (control) or 9-β-methyl carbacyclin (Ciprostine) at 100 (CARB-100) or 200 ng/kg/min (CARB-200) through a femoral artery branch just proximal to one of the femoral grafts, with the contralateral graft serving as a noninfused control. Graft-platelet deposition (with 111 In-labeled platelets) was measured between the fifth and seventh days, with patency determined on the seventh day. Dogs were classified as aggregators (AGG [+]) if the preoperative epinephrine-enhanced sodium arachidonate platelet aggregation was greater than 20%. CARB-200 infusion significantly improved ipsilateral graft patency (80%) compared with noninfused grafts (50%, p p p p p