title: Radiofrequency Ablation of the Atherosclerotic Plaque: a Proof of Concept Study in an Atherosclerotic Model.
abstract: Increased plaque vascularization is causatively associated with the progression of unstable atherosclerotic vessel disease. We investigated the safety and efficacy of heat-generating radiofrequency ablation (RFA) in reducing the number of vessels in the plaque and adventitia and its effect on plaque size and composition. To this end, New Zealand White rabbits were fed a cholesterol-enriched diet and subjected to balloon denudation of the infrarenal aorta to induce atherosclerotic plaque formation. After 13 weeks, the proximal or distal half of the infrarenal aorta was exposed to transluminal RFA. The untreated half served as an intra-individual control. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) was performed directly after RFA. We found that RFA on the rabbit atherosclerotic plaque is safe and leads to decreased intraplaque vessel density and smooth muscle cell content but does not affect other components of plaque composition or size.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Experimental Cardiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Heidelberglaan 100, Internal mail no G03.550, 3508 GA, Utrecht, The Netherlands. G.H.J.Ellenbroek@umcutrecht.nl.
authors.forename: Guilielmus H J M
authors.initials: GHJM
authors.lastname: Ellenbroek
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Gerardus P J
authors.initials: GPJ
authors.lastname: van Hout
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Experimental Cardiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Heidelberglaan 100, Internal mail no G03.550, 3508 GA, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Saskia C A
authors.initials: SCA
authors.lastname: de Jager
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Leo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Timmers
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Aryan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vink
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Roel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Goldschmeding
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Experimental Cardiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Heidelberglaan 100, Internal mail no G03.550, 3508 GA, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Petra
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: van der Kraak
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Chemistry and Hematology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Gerard
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pasterkamp
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Experimental Cardiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Heidelberglaan 100, Internal mail no G03.550, 3508 GA, Utrecht, The Netherlands.|Department of Clinical Chemistry and Hematology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Imo E
authors.initials: IE
authors.lastname: Hoefer
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands.|Netherlands Heart Institute, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Petrus A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Doevendans
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, VU Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Yolande
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Appelman
mesh_terms: D000800:Angioplasty, Balloon; D000818:Animals; D001012:Aorta, Abdominal / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D001018:Aortic Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D001027:Aortography; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D017115:Catheter Ablation; D002791:Cholesterol, Dietary; D059305:Diet, High-Fat; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D008297:Male; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D032389:Myocytes, Smooth Muscle / Q000473:pathology; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic; D058226:Plaque, Atherosclerotic; D000075082:Proof of Concept Study; D011817:Rabbits; D013997:Time Factors; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence
chemical_list: D002791:Cholesterol, Dietary
keywords: Atherosclerosis; Neovascularization; Plaque progression; Radiofrequency ablation; Smooth muscle cell; Vasa vasorum