VASCULAR PATCHES FOR ARTERIAL RECONSTRUCTION, CHALLENGES AND ADVANCED TECHNOLOGIES

High prevalence of internal carotid atherosclerosis and recent advances in its diagnosis result in an increase in the annual number of carotid endarterectomy procedures to restore carotid patency. Various randomized prospective studies as well as meta-analyses show a decrease in the number of perioperative and postoperative complications following carotid endarterectomy using patches compared with primary arterial closure. Despite the fact that the autologous vein is the material of choice for carotid patch angioplasty, xenogenic and synthetic patches are also widely used in the clinical practice. Furthermore, tissue engineering technologies and the development of novel biomaterials have recently emerged and may encourage manufacturing of vascular patches capable to promote a regenerative potential of the body and restore vascular wall tissues.