Long-term coronary vascular response to (32)P beta-particle-emitting stents in a canine model.
BACKGROUND
The arterial placement of (32)P beta-particle-emitting stents in various experimental animal models results in discordant effects on neointimal formation. We studied the vascular effects of beta-particle-emitting stents in normal canine coronary arteries because compared with pigs and rabbits, the canine model may more closely mimic the vascular response of humans.


RESULTS
Thirty stents (control nonradioactive, n=10; low-activity (32)P, 3.5 to 6.0 microCi, n=11; high-activity (32)P, 6.5 to 14.4 microCi, n=8) were implanted in normal canine coronary arteries through the use of a single balloon inflation at nominal pressure. Histological analysis after 15 weeks included the measurement of neointimal and adventitial area and thickness. Neointimal fibrin area was measured with the use of computer-assisted color segmentation on Movat pentachrome sections. Luminal stenosis was significantly increased in (32)P stents compared with control stents (44.6+/-16.8% versus 32.7+/-10.8%; P=0.05) and was highest in the high-activity group (45.5+/-24.3%). No evidence of an "edge effect" was seen in adjacent, nonstented coronary segments. All (32)P stents showed incomplete vascular healing as indicated by a dose-dependent increase in fibrin area with increasing stent activity. Arterial radiation resulted in a decrease in adventitial size, which was maximal for high-activity (32)P stents, indicating an inhibitory effect on the adventitial response to injury.


CONCLUSIONS
(32)P beta-particle-emitting stents have adverse vascular effects at 15 weeks in the canine normal coronary artery model. Vascular brachytherapy with this device causes increased neointimal formation and prominent, dose-dependent lack of healing.
Taylor
A J
AJ
Division of Hematology and Vascular Biology, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research and the Cardiovascular Division, Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, Washington, DC 20306, USA.
Gorman
P D
PD
Farb
A
A
Hoopes
T G
TG
Virmani
R
R
D000818:Animals; D001918:Brachytherapy; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology* / Q000528:radiation effects*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004285:Dogs; D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D005337:Fibrin / Q000032:analysis; D008297:Male; D009204:Myocardial Revascularization / Q000379:methods; D010761:Phosphorus Radioisotopes / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015607:Stents; D017539:Tunica Intima / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology / Q000528:radiation effects
D010761:Phosphorus Radioisotopes; D005337:Fibrin