Vacuum cell seeding: a new method for the fast application of an evenly distributed cell layer on porous vascular grafts.

The study was to develop a method to induce rapid endothelial coverage of vascular prostheses by cell seeding. The method uses vacuum pressure and is therefore called vacuum cell seeding. A special seeding device was constructed, in which grafts of different length and/or inner diameter could be positioned. Microporosity of the grafts was a prerequisite for this method. Two types of commercially available microporous grafts were tested. The ePTFE graft routinely used clinically needed pretreatment to enable the method, whilst a polyurethane-based graft could be seeded as received. Vacuum cell seeding applied cells from a suspension in culture medium within 10 min in an evenly distributed cell layer on to the luminal graft surface. The adhering cells immediately started flattening, thereby completely covering the luminal surface. It was concluded that the vacuum cell seeding method rapidly introduced a confluent layer of seeded cells on porous vascular grafts in a simple way, which in the clinical setting could easily be performed on the operating table.