Basic fibroblast growth factor slow release stent graft for endovascular aortic aneurysm repair: a canine model experiment.
OBJECTIVE
Persistent endoleak and endotension, complications after endovascular aortic repair, may be caused by an unorganized thrombus inside the aneurysm. The experimental study was designed to evaluate the effectiveness of stent grafts (S/Gs) with slow release of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) for the organization.


METHODS
The S/Gs were constructed of self-expanding Z stent covered with expanded polytetra fluoroethylene graft, and coated with elastin to be able to bind and slowly release bFGF. Five elastin-coated S/Gs with bFGF (bFGF-S/Gs) and without bFGF (C-S/Gs) were placed in the normal canine aorta respectively. The thoracic aortic aneurysm models were surgically created with a jugular vein patch in 12 beagles. S/Gs with six holes, for creating endoleaks, were used in the experiment of aneurysmal repair. The bFGF-S/Gs (n = 6) and C-S/Gs (n = 6) were implanted. The beagles were sacrificed at two weeks after the endovascular procedure and examined histologically.


RESULTS
The bFGF-S/Gs induced six times the intimal proliferation of the C-S/Gs in normal aorta. Twelve animals had successfully created aneurysms, and had endoleaks just after the endovascular procedure. At two weeks after the endovascular procedure, the percentage of fibrous area in the aneurysmal cavity treated with bFGF-S/G (35.7 +/- 4.3%) was significantly greater than C-S/G (13.6 +/- 2.2%) (P < .01).


CONCLUSIONS
bFGF-S/Gs are effective for accelerating organization of the aneurysm cavity and developing neointima. Further research on bFGF-S/Gs would clarify the association of endoleaks.
Kajimoto
Masaki
M
Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Mie University, Graduate School of Medicine, Tsu, Japan. kajimotomasaki@hotmail.com
Shimono
Takatsugu
T
Hirano
Koji
K
Miyake
Yoichiro
Y
Kato
Noriyuki
N
Imanaka-Yoshida
Kyoko
K
Shimpo
Hideto
H
Miyamoto
Keiichi
K
D000818:Animals; D001013:Aorta, Thoracic / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D017545:Aortic Aneurysm, Thoracic / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D019917:Blood Vessel Prosthesis Implantation / Q000295:instrumentation*; D002317:Cardiovascular Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004285:Dogs; D054855:Drug-Eluting Stents; D004549:Elastin; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2 / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005355:Fibrosis; D006801:Humans; D011138:Polytetrafluoroethylene; D011474:Prosthesis Design; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage; D017539:Tunica Intima / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery
D002317:Cardiovascular Agents; D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2; D011138:Polytetrafluoroethylene; D004549:Elastin