Dolph Houben

144 CHAPTER 7 Figure 3: Blood serum cytokine levels pre-operative (0), and measured at 1, 2, 4, 6, 10 and 20 weeks after transplantation. AV+ = group 1 with the patent arteriovenous bundle, AV- =group 2 with a ligated arteriovenous bundle. Vascular changes Twenty weeks after transplantation all allogenic vascular pedicles had thrombosed. The allogeneic nutrient artery supplying the bone failed due to intimal hyperplasia a finding pathognomonic of rejection (Fig. 4) [1, 23] . Allogeneic periosteal arteries also demonstrated similar changes, consistent with rejection (Fig. 5C). In contrast, the autologous implanted AV-bundle arterial walls remained histologically normal and the vessels patent in group 1 (Fig. 5A). Hence, allogenic vascular properties in and near the transplant are all consistent with host graft rejection. While, the autogenous AV bundle implantation remains patent without signs of rejection by the allotransplant.