Quantitative measurement of fixation rate and dimension changes in the aldehyde/pressure-fixed canine carotid artery.

Excised canine carotid arteries held at constant physiologic length were cycled from -13 to +27 kPa with a constant-flow infusion pump, and the pressure-volume curves were recorded. The change in diameter on reducing the pressure from 16 to 0 kPa was determined and the strain of recoil [(diameter16--diameter0)/diameter16] calculated. Diameter recoil was reduced from 51% (fresh tissue) to 5% after 3 h pressure fixation in 4% formaldehyde and to 9% after 15 min in 2% glutaraldehyde with little further change. Lengthwise recoil was reduced from 37 to 10% after 5 min in 2% glutaraldehyde. Photographs were taken to measure outer diameter during pressure fixation. There was no change in diameter in either fixative from the first minute up to 3 days at the constant pressure of 16 kPa.