ABSTRACT
Atherosclerosis, which causes narrowing of the artery wall, is one of the most severe forms of cardiovascular disease. Atherosclerosis accounts for more than 50% of all mortalities in the United States, Europe, and Japan.1 Bypass surgery is the most common surgical intervention for advanced atherosclerosis and each year more than 500,000 vascular graft surgeries are performed. Autologous vessels, namely the saphenous vein or internal mammary artery, are commonly used for bypass
9.1 Introduction .................................................................................................. 243 9.2 Desired Properties of Tissue-Engineered Vascular Grafts...........................244
