Light and scanning-electron microscopic examination of coronary stents in a perfusion-model. Effects of an NO-donor/quantitative analysis

Does a NO-donor (Corvaton(R), Aventis, France) attenuate the adherence and the aggregation of platelets in a closed-loop perfusion model1 with or with out the implantation of coronary stents? SIN-1, the active metabolite of mo lsidomine, exerted a strong influence on the interaction of platelets with the surfaces of stents. When SIN-1 was added the adherence of platelets to the surfaces of stents was markedly reduced. The sites were most of the pla telets adhered to, also changed. More platelets adhered to the stent backbo ne and less to the free modular stent parts. The localisation of adherent p latelets could easily be shown by light microscopy. The aggregation of plat elets, accompanied by a spheroidic shape change, could be demonstrated by s canning electron microscopy on the addition of an NO-donor, not only a redu ction of platelet adherence was realised but also the reduction of platelet aggregation.