Patent ID: 7887581

Claim:
A method of performing hemodialysis on a patient, comprising: (a) providing a synthetic tubular element comprising a first end, a second end, an exterior surface, and an interior surface that describes a lumen; (b) coating an adhesion matrix on the interior surface; (c) providing a plurality of endothelial cells seeded and cultured on the interior surface of the tubular element, wherein the endothelial cells are genetically altered to express or over-express a full-length human fibulin-5 polypeptide; (d) implanting the synthetic tubular element under the skin of the patient, wherein, the first end of the tubular element is grafted into an artery and the second end of the tubular element is grafted into a vein, such that, fluidic continuity is established from the artery through the lumen of the tubular element and into the vein; and, (e) operatively coupling the lumen of the tubular element to a hemodialysis filtration unit such that blood is diverted from the lumen into the hemodialysis filtration unit and then is returned to the lumen.