Morphometric and histological changes in the vascular wall after external radiation for the prevention of intimal hyperplasia.

Background: Recent reports describe spontaneous dissections and aneurysms after coronary and peripheral artery irradiation for the prevention of intimal hyperplasia. We investigated histological changes and the vasomotor reaction in the vascular wall after external radiation for the prevention of intimal hyperplasia in rabbits.

Materials And Methods: The aorta was experimentally injured in 34 rabbits who were then assigned to one of three groups: irradiation with 20 Gy; with 25 Gy; and a control group with no irradiation.