Radiation and the Stent: Results From Catheter - Based Radiation. And Radioactive Stenting

Abstract

Angiographic restenosis occurs in up to 60% of cases after balloon angioplasty (BA). Restenosis after BA occurs due to elastic recoil of the artery, vascular remodeling with vessel shrinkage and neointimal hyperplasia. Neointimal hyperplasia develops by migration and proliferation of smooth muscle cells (SMCs) and myofibroblasts after balloon-induced trauma of the arterial wall and by deposition of an extracellular matrix by the SMCs. By preventing elastic recoil and negative remodeling stent implantation has resolved many of the problems created by balloon angioplasty. However, a new problem has been created - that of in-stent restenosis, wh