The splenic artery; its special anatomy in reference to use as a vascular graft.

The surgery of the circulatory system has reached farther and farther into the vital structures of the body. Attempts have been made to operate on most parts of the human body. One of the limitations of concern to vascular surgery is the problem of reestablishing arterial continuity. Congenital, traumatic, and obliterative vascular lesions sometimes involve lengths of artery which cannot be readily bridged. In an attempt to fill such gaps, vascular tissues from adjacent, as well as distant, parts of the same or different bodies have been used. Segments of autologous vein are most readily available donor tissue, although they may not be the most desirable. Homologous and heterologous preserved arterial and venous segments are being used in some centers where a blood-vessel bank is available. These have been used with some success, although their supply is presently limited. Peritoneum-covered fascia has been used as vascular substitute and for vessel