Balloon-induced endothelial denudation promotes deep injury of the arterial wall.
To investigate the cellular reactions to arterial injuries and the influence of a cholesterol-rich diet, 18 rabbits underwent endothelial denudation of the abdominal aorta with a balloon catheter. Fourteen animals were fed a 2% cholesterol diet and 4 were fed normal rabbit chow for 8 weeks. In the cholesterol-fed group, 6 animals had only the expected intimal lesions; however, 8 animals exhibited different degrees of balloon-induced medial layer injury, with fibrous healing. Similarly, in the control rabbits, 1 had intimal lesions and 3 had both intimal and medial layer lesions. We conclude that removal of the endothelium with a balloon catheter promotes arterial wall injury deeper than expected. This unexpected result could influence the effect of interventions usually employed in experimental atherosclerosis.
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L
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Divisäo de Experimentaçäo Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Säo Paulo, Brasil.
Laurindo
F R
FR
Lopes
E A
EA
Da-Luz
P L
PL
D000818:Animals; D001011:Aorta / Q000473:pathology*; D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000209:etiology; D002404:Catheterization / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004032:Diet; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D011817:Rabbits
D002784:Cholesterol