====== Vascular anastomosis ======


A vascular [[anastomosis]] is a surgical procedure that is used to connect vessels to each other. Vascular procedures that require an anastomosis include: Coronary artery bypass surgery to treat a blocked artery supplying the heart. Connecting an artery to a vein for hemodialysis access.

[[Rat Model for Practicing Microsurgical Vascular Anastomosis]].

===== History =====
The first vascular anastomosis was detailed by Eck in [[1877]] with his operation on [[dog]]s to create a [[side-to-side anastomosis]] of the hepatic vein to the inferior caval vein (later known as the Eck fistula). Of the 8 dogs undergoing this procedure, 7 died in 1 week and 1 lived briefly before running away
((Bollman J: The animal with an Eck [[fistula]]. Physiol Rev
41:607, 1961)).