PARTIAL OCCLUSION of the inferior vena cava by means of suture plication1,10-12 or partially occluding clamps,7,8 clips,5 or staples9 was found to be as effective as complete ligation in preventing pulmonary embolism, as attested by an increasing number of recent publications.1-14 While the immediate results of the partitioning method12 appear satisfactory, little information is available of the long-term fate regarding the caliber, persistence, and prophylatic reliability of these channels in recurrent thromboembolic phenomena.
Since the recurrent phenomena can be a potential hazard long after the first embolic insult, an experimental investigation of the problems raised above appeared desirable. Accordingly, a study was designed to evaluate the fate of these suture-plicated compartments and the long-term integrity of such sutures.
Methods and Material
Ten adult mongrel dogs weighing 15 to 20 kg (33 to 44 lb) were anesthetized with pentobarbital (Nembutal) given intravenously, 12 mg/kg of