Comparative Study of Preservation Solutions for Protecting Venous Grafts in a Long-Term Rat Model of Autologous Bypass Grafting

All articles of this category (opens in new window) Background: Failure of saphenous vein grafts after coronary artery bypass grafting is largely driven by ischemia/reperfusion injury, endothelial dysfunction, and vascular remodeling. Preservation solutions have been developed to limit graft damage, yet their in vivo efficacy remains unclear. We established a rat jugular vein interposition model simulating autologous venous bypass grafting to compare TiProtec and DuraGraft with physiologic saline and unpreserved grafts. Methods: Right Jugular veins of 8-week-old male Wistar rats were harvested and either implanted immediately (baseline) or preserved for 120 minutes at room temperature in TiProtec, DuraGraft, or normal saline before interposition into the infrarenal abdominal aorta. After 16 weeks, grafts were explanted. Vascular function was assessed by wire myography (contraction with KCl and serotonin, endothelium-dependent relaxation with acetylcholine, and endothelium-independent relaxation with sodium nitroprusside). Histology and immunohistochemistry (HE, α-SMA, immunofluorescence) evaluated intimal hyperplasia, wall structure, and smooth muscle cell phenotype. Results: A total of 35 Wistar rats underwent surgery. Perioperative mortality occurred in seven rats due to anesthesia complications, bleeding, or thrombosis; however, survival differences between groups were not statistically significant. Force development in grafts increased to levels comparable with arteries. The observed histomorphological findings are consistent with pronounced hyperplasia observed in both the media and intima layers. Alpha smooth muscle staining revealed a significant increase in smooth muscle content; however, this hyperplasia appeared disorganized and with connective tissue. Conclusion: This long-term rat jugular vein model reliably mimics autologous venous bypass grafting and enables comparative testing of preservation strategies. Neither TiProtec nor DuraGraft provided functional and structural benefits over saline. Publication History Article published online: 17 February 2026 © 2026. Thieme. All rights reserved. Georg Thieme Verlag KG Oswald-Hesse-Straße 50, 70469 Stuttgart, Germany