Interaction of vascular smooth muscle cells with collagen-impregnated embolization coils studied with a novel quantitative in vitro model.

Background And Purpose: Modifications of aneurysm occlusion devices and other biologically active molecules may reduce the risk of recanalization by promoting vascular cell migration, adhesion, and proliferation. Our purpose was to apply in vitro methods in the qualitative and quantitative analysis of vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) interactions with collagen-impregnated microcoils.

Methods: The adhesion of rat aortic VSMCs to collagen fiber bundles (CFBs), nitinol coils, and collagen-impregnated nitinol coils (CINCs) was examined by using an assay consisting of monopulse exposure to increasing concentrations of rat aortic VSMCs.