Intimal hyperplasia regression from 6 to 12 months after stenting

Although previous randomized trials 1-2 have demonstrated lower restenosis rates in selected lesions with coronary stents than with conventional balloon angioplasty. in-stent restenosis remains an important clinical problem.(3,4) Previous serial angiographic studies(5,6) showed that lumen loss after stenting occurred within 6 months. On the other hand, improvements in lumen dimensions between 6 months and 2 to 3 years have been demonstrated by angiography.(6-9) Serial (postintervention and at 6-month follow-up) intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) studies(10,11) have demonstrated that coronary stenting eliminates negative arterial remodeling, and thus intimal hyperplasia is solely responsible for in-stent restenosis. However, little has been reported about changes in intimal hyperplasia that occur beyond this 6-month period. This serial IVUS study evaluated the changes in intimal hyperplasia between 6 and 12 months after stent placement.