Purpose: Three recently developed stent-grafts and the Wallstent were compared directly in an ovine animal model with regard to performance and biocompatibility.
Materials and methods: Three stent-grafts, the Hemobahn (polytetrafluoroethylene [ePTFE]/nitinol), Wallgraft (polyester/Ni-Co-Ti-steel alloy), and Jostent peripheral stent-graft (balloon-expandable ePTFE/stainless steel), and the Wallstent (Ni-Co-Ti-steel alloy), were implanted in sheep iliac arteries (one type of each stent or stent-graft per animal, n = 8). Pre- and postimplantation luminal diameters were measured for each prosthesis and implantation site. Angiography, intravascular ultrasonography (IVUS), and histomorphometric, histologic, and scanning electron microscopic analyses were performed at 3 months.
Results: Early lumen gain, late lumen loss, and patent vessel diameter at angiography were not significantly different. Two stent-grafts had significantly more neointima formation (Hemobahn, 9.88 mm(2) +/- 0.94; Wallgraft, 14.98 mm(2) +/- 0.90) than the other stent-graft (Jostent, 6.52 mm(2) +/- 0.46) and the Wallstent (5.24 mm(2) +/- 0.62; P <.01). Patent lumen area was not significantly different (Hemobahn, 42.57 mm(2) +/- 1.41; Jostent, 39.76 mm(2) +/- 2.04; Wallgraft, 40.22 mm(2) +/- 1.04; Wallstent, 41.64 mm(2) +/- 1.59; P =.57). The Hemobahn had significantly more inflammatory reaction (inflammation score of 0.83 +/- 0.03) than the Jostent (0.58 +/- 0.03), Wallgraft (0.55 +/- 0.04), or Wallstent (0.16 +/- 0.01). Angiography and IVUS demonstrated absence of anastomotic neointima formation. Endothelialization was incomplete and immature for all prostheses.
Conclusions: The stent-grafts caused a greater degree of neointima formation and inflammatory vessel wall reaction than the bare stent. However, these changes did not interfere with patent lumen areas and occurred in the absence of excessive anastomotic neointima formation.