Stent-based nitric oxide delivery reducing neointimal proliferation in a porcine carotid overstretch injury model.

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The effects of nitric acid (NO) on vessel response to injury include the inhibition of platelet adhesion, platelet aggregation, leukocyte adhesion and smooth muscle cell proliferation. Releasing NO from a stent might reduce the clinical problem of restenosis. The present study was designed to examine whether an NO-eluting covered stent can prevent neointimal formation in a porcine carotid overstretch injury model. METHODS: The interior of a self-expanding polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE)-covered aSpire stent was coated with silicone, which contained 23.6 microg or 54.5 microg sodium nitroprusside (SNP, NO-releasing compound). The stent was implanted into carotid artery. Six pigs were implanted with stents, one high-dose SNP and one uncoated control, following balloon overstretch injury of the carotid artery with a balloon-to-artery ratio of 1.3:1. RESULTS: No local or systemic toxicity was evidenced in the six pigs after carotid artery implantation with either low- or high-dose stents within a week. At day 28, the mean intimal thickness was 0.12 +/- 0.05 mm for NO-eluting stents and 0.43 +/- 0.09 mm for uncoated stents (p = 0.008). The mean neointimal area was reduced from 2.40 +/- 0.39 mm2 for control stents to 0.49 +/- 0.16 mm2 for NO-eluting stents (p < 0.0001), which resulted in a 24% reduction of angiographic vessel narrowing. CONCLUSIONS: The NO-eluting ePTFE-covered stent is feasible and effectively reduces in-stent neointimal hyperplasia at 28 days in a porcine carotid overstretch model.