Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 29, 2025
Establishment and Evaluation of a Porcine Vein Graft Disease Model
Published on: July 25, 2022
Evaluation of Biodegradable Stent Graft Coatings in Pig and Rabbit Models
Jouni Taavitsainen1, Santeri Tarvainen1, Antti Kuivanen1
1A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland.
Aims:
Percutaneous coronary intervention is routinely performed to treat occlusive coronary artery disease. Coronary perforation is a potential complication and can be treated with a stent graft. Current stent grafts are associated with high restenosis rates. We tested the safety and feasibility of biodegradable stent grafts in pig and rabbit models.
Methods And Results:
Stent grafts were examined in pig coronaries with repeated OCT imaging for 42 days. Novel biodegradable coatings were applied on a bare metal stent by either an electrospinning (ES) or dip coating (DC) method. A completely biodegradable system was made by ES coating a magnesium-based stent. A commercially available stent graft served as a control. ES devices showed less restenosis (44.3 ± 8.8 vs. 59.1 ± 11.1% in controls, p < 0.05) and smaller reduction in minimum lumen area (44.3 ± 13.4 vs. 64.4 ± 13.6% in controls, p < 0.05) at day 42. DC devices occluded during follow-up. ES devices showed recanalization through the graft wall at day 42. Feasibility of the ES and DC devices was evaluated in pig coronary aneurysms and rabbit aortic perforation models and sealed aneurysms and perforations without complications.
Conclusions:
Recanalization of the graft wall improves biocompatibility. Biodegradable stent grafts may present an alternative to permanent implants by showing reduced restenosis at day 42.
