Background
Drug-eluting bioabsorbable stents (DEBSs) represent a new device-based therapy for coronary artery disease. It has been reported that the stented segment becomes reendothelialized after 1 month and the segments proximal and distal to the stented site are functional at 2 years. In order to examine whether, after complete degradation, the DEBS site function was similar to the unstented segments, we performed ex vivo vasomotor function studies using pig coronary arteries.
Methods
Eighteen months after implantation in the pig coronary arteries, 10 DEBS sites (4 LAD, 4 RCA and 2 LCX) were assessed for vasomotor function using an organ chamber apparatus. They were stimulated with potassium chloride (KCl), prostaglandin 2 α (PGF) and three concentrations of endothelin-1 (ET). Endothelium-dependant relaxation (EDR) to substance P (SbP; 0.01–100 pM) and endothelium-independent relaxation (EIDR) to sodium nitroprusside (SNP; 0.001–10 μM) were assessed following constriction with PGF. Remaining stent segments were fixed for histologic examination.
Methods
Eighteen months after implantation in the pig coronary arteries, 10 DEBS sites (4 LAD, 4 RCA and 2 LCX) were assessed for vasomotor function using an organ chamber apparatus. They were stimulated with potassium chloride (KCl), prostaglandin 2 α (PGF) and three concentrations of endothelin-1 (ET). Endothelium-dependant relaxation (EDR) to substance P (SbP; 0.01–100 pM) and endothelium-independent relaxation (EIDR) to sodium nitroprusside (SNP; 0.001–10 μM) were assessed following constriction with PGF. Remaining stent segments were fixed for histologic examination.