An asymmetric surface coating strategy for promotes rapid endothelialization in the rabbit carotid artery

TL;DR

This study introduces an asymmetric drug-eluting stent with differential drug loading on inner and outer surfaces, which enhances endothelialization and drug delivery efficacy in rabbit carotid arteries, potentially improving cardiovascular treatments.

Contribution

The paper presents a novel asymmetric drug-eluting stent design fabricated with ultrasonic atomization spraying, demonstrating improved endothelialization and targeted drug delivery over traditional uniform coatings.

Findings

Enhanced endothelialization in vivo with ADES

Favorable hemocompatibility and biocompatibility in vitro

Targeted drug delivery demonstrated in artificial vessels

Abstract

Studying surface modification has long been a key area for enhancing the effects of vascular stents after surgery. The study aimed to develop an asymmetric drug-eluting stent (ADES) with differential drug loading on its inner and outer surfaces, hypothesizing that this design would enhance drug delivery efficacy for percutaneous coronary interventions (PCIs) compared to uniformly coated drug-eluting stents (UDES). An ultrasonic atomization spraying device was utilized to fabricate the ADES, which was subsequently evaluated for drug release patterns, hemocompatibility, and biocompatibility. In vitro, assessments demonstrated favorable hemocompatibility and showed targeted drug delivery capabilities of ADES within artificial blood vessels. Furthermore, in vivo testing using a rabbit carotid artery model revealed significant endothelialization on stented segments treated with the ADES. These findings suggest that the ADES holds promise as a minimally invasive platform for improving cardiovascular disease treatment outcomes by addressing thrombus formation and neointima proliferation more effectively than traditional stents.