Time course of early restenosis of rabbit carotid atherosclerosis model after carotid endarterectomy

Objective: To observe the time course of early restenosis of rabbit carotid atherosclerosis model after CEA and to provide information for clinical preventing restenosis. Methods: Using New Zealand rabbits, lesions are created by air-drying an isolated segment of common carotid artery（120ml/min 15min） and feeding the rabbits a diet of 2% cholesterol, 6% peanut oil mixed in normal diet for 2 months. Then perform CEA. After the operations, the rabbits are killed and the carotid arteries are respectively sampled at 1, 5, 10, 20, 30, 40, and 60 postoperative day. The samples are stained with HE, and PCNA, α-SMA, PDGF-A, TGFβ, CD3, CD68 immuno-histological stain. Results: The main presentations of early restenosis of rabbit carotid atherosclerosis model after CEA are: thombosis at 1～2 postoperative day, acute inflammation in the first 5 days after operation, smooth muscle cell proliferation in 5～40 days after operation, and the media turns into intima appearance at 60 postoperative day. Conclusion: The early restenosis could be approximately divided into 4 phases: phase of thrombosis, 1-2 postoperative day;Phase of acute inflammation, in the first 5 days after operation;Phase of smooth muscle cell proliferation, 5-40 days after operation;And at 60 postoperative day phase of afterward changes.