Biological mechanisms influencing prosthetic bypass graft patency: possible targets for modern graft design.

In recent years, ample attention has been directed towards the mechanisms that play a major role in the process of vascular graft failure, especially graft thrombosis and intimal narrowing have been highlighted. In this article, a survey is conducted into the key mechanisms of the biological processes of intimal hyperplasia and ultimate graft failure. The sequence of biochemical events that lead to thrombosis of grafts is used as a guideline to describe possible counteracting prosthetic surface interventions in each separate phase of the process.