LOCAL INTRAMURAL DRUG-DELIVERY USING AN INFUSION BALLOON FOLLOWING ANGIOPLASTY IN NORMAL AND ATHEROSCLEROTIC VESSELS

Local intramural delivery of various pharmacologic agents following an gioplasty has been proposed as a means of reducing restenosis. This st udy tested whether local intramural delivery of aqueous solutions usin g an infusion balloon could be accomplished safely in normal vessels a nd whether such infusion was safe following standard angioplasty in di seased vessels. Infusion of aqueous agents into normal canine arteries had no adverse effect. Infusion of several aqueous agents (less-than- or-equal-to 4 cc at 4 atm) into diseased swine iliac arteries followin g balloon angioplasty did not worsen existing or create new dissection s. Histologically, infusion treated vessels did not differ in either m odel from vessels treated with angioplasty alone. We conclude that loc al intramural drug infusion does not create new, or worsen existing, d issections produced during standard balloon angioplasty in diseased ve ssels. (C) 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.