ABSTRACT
Introduction In 1999, more than 400 000 coronary angioplasties were performed in the United States and more than 1 000 000 world wide. In the treatment of flow-limiting stenosis, a high pressure angioplasty balloon is inflated within the lesion causing fractures in the plaque, the internal elastic membrane, media, and adventitial structures. The subsequent arterial healing response begins immediately, and eventually is essential for restoring normal arterial function. However, in 30-40% of patients this normal response is exaggerated, resulting in restenosis. The process of restenosis is complex, involving many separate mechanisms including elastic recoil, mural thrombus, neointimal formation, and arterial remodeling.
