MORPHOMETRIC CHANGES SEEN IN BALLOON-INJURED PORCINE ILIAC ARTERIES -THE INFLUENCE OF SYMPATHECTOMY ON INTIMAL HYPERPLASIA AND REMODELING

Objectives: To assess the influence of lumbar sympathectomy on intimal thickening and arterial remodelling following balloon de-endotheliali sation. Design: Experimental animal model with control and treated (sy mpathectomy) groups. Methods: Unilateral common iliac artery de-endoth elialisation was performed in 36 male pigs using a 5F balloon catheter introduced via the profunda femoris artery. Bilateral lumbar sympathe ctomies were performed in 18 animals. Both iliac arteries were perfusi on-fixed and harvested 4 weeks later. Arterial morphometry was assesse d using computer image analysis. Results: Area measurements are expres sed as median (interquartile range) in mm(2). Balloon injury resulted in significant intimal thickening but no loss of lumen due to compensa tory enlargement of the injured artery. Sympathectomy resulted in sign ificant lumen enlargement (4.8 (2.6-6.3) vs. 1.9 (1.7-2.9)) in balloon -injured arteries. Although intimal thickening was reduced (0.9 (0.6-1 .7) vs 1.5 (0.9-2.0)), this was not statistically significant. Conclus ions: Sympathectomy increases lumen area 4 weeks after balloon injury to porcine iliac arteries. This effect is due to a combination of redu ced arterial wall thickening and increased arterial size.