title: Trans-iliac rat aorta stenting: a novel high throughput preclinical stent model for restenosis and thrombosis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Currently, preclinical stent development requires elaborate large animal models, which are time consuming and expensive. We herein report a high throughput rat aorta stenting model which could provide a rapid and low-cost platform for preclinical stent development.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 86 metal stents (316L stainless steel 13 mm, VasoTech, Inc.) coated with poly (D, L-lactide-co-glycolide)/amorphous calcium phosphate (PLGA/ACP) copolymer were pre-mounted on 1.5 mm × 15 mm balloon catheters and were implanted into aspirin treated Sprague-Dawley rats (500-700 g) initially using either direct placement in the abdominal aorta (group A, n = 7) or a trans-iliac approach (cut-down, group B, n = 79). The surviving rats were sacrificed at 1, 2, 4, and 12 wk post-implantation and the stented arteries were analyzed histopathologically.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Four rats died in group A and nine rats died in group B within 48 h post-stent implantation (mortality: 57% versus 11%, P < 0.05). All animals that died had stent thrombosis/paralysis with visible thrombus on necropsy. Histologically, neointimal growth peaked at approximately 4 wk post-implantation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This result suggests that human-sized stents can be successfully implanted into the rat aorta via iliac artery insertion with a significantly higher survival rate than trans-aorta implantation. The model system allows rapid (4-12 wk) assessment of stent biocompatibility with mortality/paralysis used as an indicator of stent thrombosis.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Brown Medical School, Providence, Rhode Island, USA.
authors.forename: Shizu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Oyamada
authors.forename: Xiaodong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Tim
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Michael P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Robich
authors.forename: Hao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Xingwei
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Bryan
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Buchholz
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: McCarthy
authors.forename: Cesario F
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Bianchi
authors.forename: Frank W
authors.initials: FW
authors.lastname: Sellke
authors.forename: Roger
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Laham
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D017130:Angioplasty / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D000818:Animals; D001012:Aorta, Abdominal / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006083:Graft Occlusion, Vascular / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D007083:Iliac Artery / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D058426:Neointima / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D015607:Stents / Q000009:adverse effects; D013927:Thrombosis / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*