Researchers developed this project according with the tasks originally planned, so far focusing their
research activities in the biocompatibility and functionality of vascular implants. The biocompatibility was
studied by following the ISO standard 10993-6 for evaluation of medical devices through the evaluation
and grading of inflammation caused by implants placed subcutaneously. The implants were placed in sheep
and collected randomly at different time points of the experimental period and subsequently processed
histologically and classified according to Annex E to the standard mentioned above.
The functionality of vascular implants has been evaluated to date by replacement of segments of the
carotid by ePTFE implants with 5 cm long and 4 mm in diameter, coated or not with cultured stem cells.
The deployment of these prostheses has been performed in carotid arteries of sheep and their functional
performance measured by vascular ultrasound in Doppler and B mode by measuring parameters such as:
peak systolic / diastolic blood flow velocity, vascular diameters at implantation and at the periphery of
these. These measurements are performed at various time points of the experiment were folloed by
euthanasia of sheep and immediately sample collection for the implementation of techniques like
immunohistochemistry, morphometry and scanning electronic microscopy. Complications were observed
throughout the experimental period include the formation of thrombi after at the transition implantcarotid
region and vascular dilatation as the most frequent, respectively, in periods of short-and long-term
experiment
