Light and scanning‐electron microscopic examination of coronary stents in a perfusion‐model. Effects of an NO‐donor/quantitative analysis

Abstract

Does a NO‐donor (Corvaton^®, Aventis, France) attenuate the adherence and the aggregation of platelets in a closed‐loop perfusion modell with or without the implantation of coronary stents? SIN‐1, the active metabolite of molsidomine, exerted a strong influence on the interaction of platelets with the surfaces of stents. When SIN‐1 was added the adherence of platelets to the surfaces of stents was markedly reduced. The sites were most of the platelets adhered to, also changed. More platelets adhered to the stent backbone and less to the free modular stent parts. The localisation of adherent platelets could easily be shown by light microscopy. The aggregation of platelets, accompanied by a spheroidic shape change, could be demonstrated by scanning electron microscopy on the addition of an NO‐donor, not only a reduction of platelet adherence was realised but also the reduction of platelet aggregation.