Aim To establish the animal model of vein graft restenosis after coronary artery bypass grafting in patients with coronary artery disease. Methods 26 New Zealand rabbits were randomly divided into three groups:(1)high fat graft group(n＝10):rabbits treated by autologous external jugular vein grafting to common carotid artery and fed by high fat diet;(2)pure graft group(n＝10):rabbits treated by autologous external jugular vein grafting to common carotid artery and fed by normal diet;(3)normal control group(n＝6):rabbits fed by normal diet. The graft groups were performed by the external jugular vein anastomosis to the carotid artery bypass surgery. Blood flow was detected by color Doppler ultrasound, and the patency of vein graft was proved. Two months later, Doppler was used to detect the blood flow and intima thickness of vein graft, and the tissue specimens were taken for pathological examination, in order to understand whether there is thrombus in vein graft, proliferation and transfer of endothelial cell and smooth muscle cell, and proliferation of vascular matrix, etc. Results (1)All vein grafts were unobstructed after operation.(2)Two months after operation, color Doppler ultrasound examination showed that there were plaque formation, obvious stenosis and intima thickening of the vein grafts in high fat graft group, compared with the pure graft group and the normal control group.(3)The pathological examination showed that there were typical atherosclerotic changes such as shedding of the endothelial cells, intimal hyperplasia, smooth muscle cell migration, proliferation and lipid deposition on vein grafts in high fat graft group, while the changes in pure graft group and normal control group were not obvious. Conclusions The animal model of rabbit external jugular vein anastomosis to the carotid artery is reliable. It provides a simple and ideal model for the study of restenosis after vein grafts.