Most respondents reported using videos to prepare for surgery. YouTube was the preferred source. Posting surgical videos to YouTube may allow for maximal access to learners who are preparing for surgical cases.

Perivascular application of NO-releasing self-assembling nanofiber gels is an effective and simple therapy to prevent neointimal hyperplasia after arterial injury. Our study demonstrates that the PROLI/NO nanofiber gel most effectively prevented neointimal hyperplasia and resulted in less inflammation than the DPTA/NO nanofiber gel. This therapy has great clinical potential to prevent neointimal hyperplasia after open vascular interventions in patients.

Nitric oxide (NO)-based therapies effectively inhibit neointimal hyperplasia in animal models of arterial injury and bypass grafting, but are not available clinically. We created a simple, effective, locally-applied NO-eluting therapy to prevent restenosis following vascular procedures. We investigated the efficacy of perivascular delivery of two different distinctly different diazeniumdiolate NO donors, 1-[2-(carboxylato)pyrrolidin-1-yl]diazen-1-ium-1,2-diolate (PROLI/ NO), (short half-life) and diazeniumdiolated poly(acrylonitrile) (PAN/NO), (long half-life), in powder or gel form (30% poloxamer 407), at inhibiting neointimal hyperplasia using the rat carotid artery injury model. Two weeks post-injury, all of the NO-eluting therapies successfully reduced neointimal hyperplasia. However, most dramatically, PROLI/NO powder reduced intimal area by 91.2% (P<0.05) versus injury alone. PROLI/NO powder was noted to reduce the medial area (40.2% vs. injury alone, P<0.05), while other groups showed no such effect. Three days post-injury, each NO treatment group significantly reduced cellular proliferation. However, inflammatory markers revealed a distinct pattern: PAN/NO groups displayed increased leukocyte infiltration (P<0.05) whereas PROLI/NO groups displayed less macrophage infiltration (P<0.05). In conclusion, perivascular delivery of diazeniumdiolate NO donors in powder or gel form effectively inhibits neointimal hyperplasia. Application of short-acting PROLI/NO powder most effectively inhibited neointimal hyperplasia and inflammation and may represent a simple, clinically applicable NOeluting therapy to prevent neointimal hyperplasia and restenosis following open vascular interventions.

A biodegradable polyester elastomer, poly(1,8‐octanediol citrate) (POC), is used to modify the lumen of expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) grafts via a spin‐shearing method followed by interfacial in situ polycondensation. We demonstrate successful surface modification of ePTFE grafts without affecting graft compliance (see figure). The POC interface confers hydrophilicity, reduced thrombogenicity, facilitated graft endothelialization in vitro, and reduced macrophage infiltration on the ePTFE grafts.

Abstract-Atherosclerosis in the form of peripheral arterial disease results in significant morbidity. Surgical treatment options for peripheral arterial disease include angioplasty, endarterectomy, and bypass grafting. For bypass grafting, vein remains the conduit of choice; however, poor quality and limited availability have led to the use of prosthetic materials. Unfortunately, because of a lack of endothelium and compliance mismatch, neointimal hyperplasia develops aggressively, resulting in high failure rates. To improve graft patency, investigators have developed surgical, chemical, and biological graft modifications. This review describes common prosthetic materials, as well as approaches currently in use and under investigation to modify and improve prosthetic conduits for bypass grafting in an effort to improve graft patency rates. (Circulation. 2008;117:1873-1882.)