Femoral Artery Restenosis After Balloon Angioplast in Hypercholesterolemic Rabbits

Background. Heparin is known to have antithrombotic, anticoagulant, and antiproliferative effects. We hypothesized that chronic subcutaneous and/or direct intramural administration of heparin would reduce restenosis and inhibit plaque growth after balloon angioplasty. Methods and Results. Focal atherosclerosis was induced bilaterally in the femoral arteries of 59 rabbits by air desiccation intimal injury and a 2% cholesterol diet. After angioplasty, the rabbits were assigned to one of four treatment groups. Control arteries (n =21) received no additional heparin. A second group of 20 arteries was treated with a porous balloon that delivered heparin (1,500 units) directly into the