The role of haemodynamic factors in the development of in-stent restenosis

Abstract

Despite improvements in stent technology, including introduction of drug eluting stents, problem of neointimal hyperplasia and restenosis remains. These phenomena are associated with multiple risk factors and gene polymorphisms. Well known periprocedural risk factors of restenosis such as site of stenting, oversizing, implantation of overlapping stents along with change in vessel geometry affect blood flow conditions. Both experimental and clinical studies provide a number of arguments regarding importance of hemodynamic factors like oscillatory shear stresses in the process of restenosis. Computational fluid dynamic (CFD) enables calculation of indices describing fluid flow including tangential shear stress. This method enables the virtual representation of the physical forces in the flow system and depicting them in graphical form. Flow modeling is used in the process of designing of coronary stents, which allows for the assessment of restenosis risk in the project phase. In the nearest future CFD will be used for prediction of restenosis risk after stent implantation.