Self-expanding metallic stents: preliminary evaluation in an atherosclerotic model

The performance of the self-expanding stainless steel (Gianturco) stent in atherosclerotic arteries was examined in a rabbit model. Atherosclerosis was induced by supplementing rabbit chow with 6% peanut oil and 2% cholesterol followed by endothelial disruption of the abdominal aorta with a balloon catheter and continuation on the atherogenic diet for the remainder of the study. Eighteen stents, 1 cm in length and 4 or 5 mm in diameter when fully expanded, were placed in atherosclerotic stenotic lesions in six rabbits. Luminal distention was consistently achieved. At 8 weeks follow-up, no luminal narrowing, stent migration, thrombus formation or branch vessel occlusion had occurred. Atherosclerotic neointimal proliferation occurred around the stent wires following placement, but did not cause significant luminal narrowing.