Application of paclitaxel-eluting metal stents in renal artery of pig model.
OBJECTIVE
Recent reports concerning coronary, carotid, and femoral vasculature have proposed the use of drug-eluting metal stents (MS) to improve clinical and angiographic outcomes. Based on these reports, we used paclitaxel-eluting MS within an animal renal artery lumen and compared the results with those using a bare-metal stent.


METHODS
The experimental model in this study was the female pig renal artery. Ten pigs with weights ranging from 25 to 30 kg were used. Twenty stents were placed, two in each animal. The MS placement was randomly performed in either the right or left renal artery of each animal. In 10 arteries, a 3.5 x 18 mm R-stent (group A) was placed; in the remaining 10 arteries, a 3 x 32 mm paclitaxel-eluting coronary stent (T-stent, group B) was inserted. Patency was estimated with the use of digital subtraction angiography, CT angiography, and virtual endoscopy at 24 hours and 1 month poststent placement.


RESULTS
The positioning of the MS was successful in all cases. The initial angiographic result was maintained 24 hours after the intervention. No stent migration was seen, except for one paclitaxel stent that was acutely occluded. The one-month patency rate, as demonstrated by angiography, CT angiography, and virtual endoscopy, was 70% (8 arteries) in group A and 90% (9 arteries) in group B. The thickness of the endothelium and of the muscular coat was statistically significantly less in group B compared with group A (P = 0.0352 and P = 0.0046, respectively).


CONCLUSIONS
These preliminary experimental study results suggest that the paclitaxel-eluting MS is more efficient than the bare-metal stent when used within the pig renal artery. Further experimental and clinical studies are necessary to validate our preliminary encouraging results.
Voudoukis
Theodore
T
Department of Urology, University of Patras, School of Medicine, Patras, Greece.
Liatsikos
Evangelos N
EN
Kagadis
George C
GC
Christeas
Nicolaos
N
Flaris
Nicolaos
N
Katsanos
Konstantinos
K
Costantinides
Constantinos
C
Perimenis
Petros
P
Scopa
Chrisoula D
CD
Filos
Kriton S
KS
Nikiforidis
George C
GC
Alexopoulos
Dimitrios
D
Siablis
Dimitrios
D
D000792:Angiography; D017546:Angioscopy; D000818:Animals; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019917:Blood Vessel Prosthesis Implantation / Q000295:instrumentation*; D020099:Coated Materials, Biocompatible; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D017239:Paclitaxel / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011474:Prosthesis Design; D012078:Renal Artery Obstruction / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D015607:Stents; D013552:Swine; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D020099:Coated Materials, Biocompatible; D017239:Paclitaxel