Optical coherence tomography study of chronic-phase vessel healing after implantation of bare metal and paclitaxel-eluting self-expanding nitinol stents in the superficial femoral artery
Background This study aimed to assess chronic-phase suppression of neointimal proliferation and arterial healing following paclitaxel-coated (PTX) and bare metal stent (BMS) implantation in the superficial femoral artery using optical coherence tomography (OCT). Methods Twenty-five patients with 68 stents underwent an 8-month OCT follow-up. Besides standard OCT variables, neointimal characterization and frequencies of peri-strut low-intensity area (PLIA), macrophage accumulation, and in-stent thrombi were evaluated. Results The mean neointimal thickness was significantly less with PTX stents (544.9 ± 202.2 μm vs. 865.0 ± 230.6 μm, p < 0.0001). The covered and uncovered strut frequencies were significantly smaller and larger ...
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