• microsurgery
• stented anastomoses
• absorbable sten

The work performed in the accomplishment of the PhD Thesis focused on the
development of a new polymeric vascular re absorbable connection device has
been implemented in 4 chapters whose content is summarized by following:
1. Review on Sutureless devices: this chapter includes a literature review of all
devices for vascular anastomoses designed and constructed over the years; the
research provides the basis from which we started. In particular, we performed a
careful analysis of the advantages and benefits described for each class of device,
divided according to their prevailing mechanism of action. Some basic
biomechanics principles of intravascular tubes and stents are listed.
2. Preparation and characterization of biodegradble polymeric stents for
small diameter vascular by pass: this chapter describes the preparation and
chemical and physical characterization of the wet-spun biodegradable
polymeric stents. The processing parameters for the production of small
calibre tubular polymeric devices were investigated.
3. In vitro Biological Characterizations of Polymeric Vascular Connection
Device for Small Diameter Vascular By-pass: This chapter is focused on the
behaviour of HUVEC and Fibroblast cells when seeded on PCL and PHBHHx
stents. Several in-vitro assays are taken into consideration to evaluate cell
attachment and proliferation.
4. Preliminary ex-vivo and in-vivo study of sutureless microvascular
anastomosis with endoluminal re-absorbable stent coupled with the laser
welding technique: preliminary “ex-vivo” and “in-vivo” evaluation of the
stents prototypes are presented to assess their suitability to withstand the
surgical manoeuvres needed to insert them into carotid artery.