Britannica AI Icon

blood vessel transplant

medicine

Quick Summary

A blood vessel transplant, also known as a graft, involves replacing a damaged or blocked blood vessel with a new one. The most successful type is an autograft, where a vein from the patient's own leg is used to bypass a blocked artery. This is commonly done for conditions like atherosclerosis, which can lead to heart attacks, strokes, or gangrene.

While autografts are highly effective, allografts (from other individuals) are less successful due to potential rejection and degeneration over time. Blood transfusions, while not a direct vessel transplant, are a form of tissue graft that transfers blood or its components to restore volume or oxygen-carrying capacity.123

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.