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Updated: Aug 24, 2026
Assessing Therapeutic Angiogenesis in a Murine Model of Hindlimb Ischemia
Published on: June 8, 2019
Therapeutic angiogenesis for patients with limb ischemia by utilization of fibrin meshwork. Pilot randomized
N Kipshidze1, K Kipiani, N Beridze
1Lenox Hill Heart and Vascular Institute, Cardiovascular Research Foundation, New York, NY 10021, USA. nkipshidze@lenoxhill.it
Aim:
The aim of this paper is to assess the feasibility and efficacy of fibrin in inducing neovascularization as an angiogenic substance and/or carrier for vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in patients with limb ischemia.
Methods:
Twenty-three patients with limb ischemia and referred for below the knee amputations were randomized for treatment: group 1, 7 patients received only a saline injection; group 2, 9 received intramuscular injection of fibrin and group 3, 7 received the fibrin composition with deferoxamine and added VEGF(165). The fibrin meshwork was introduced into the popliteal area of the diseased limbs using a dual syringe system (1 contained thrombin solution [1 mg, 5000 U] and 1 contained fibrinogen [1 mg, Baxter Hyland Immuno] solution). In group 3, Deferoxamine (100 microg) and 500 microg of VEGF(165) were added to the fibrinogen solution.
Results:
In the control group 5 patients had undergone below the knee amputation at the 3-6 month follow-up. Only 1 patient from Group 2 had below the knee amputation 5 months following Fibrin only administration. Clinical improvement was noted in all 8 patients following fibrin administration and in all 7 patients injected with the fibrin meshwork, deferoxamine and VEGF combination.
Conclusion:
IM injection of fibrin is safe and appears to be an efficient method to treat limb ischemia. These findings indicate that use of fibrin may be a novel and simple method for inducing therapeutic angiogenesis.
