Experimental efficacy of an everolimus eluting cobalt chromium stent

Introduction: Rapamycin and its analogs are now being coated on different stent platforms, using different polymer matrices to prevent restenosis by impairing vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation and neointimal formation. Methods: We evaluated the feasibility and compared the efficacy of biostable polymeric everolimus and sirolimus (CYPHER®, Cordis) eluting stents in a porcine coronary model. Cobalt chromium balloon expandable stents (ML VISION®, Guidant) were coated with a polymer containing everolimus (190 μg/cm2). Twelve pigs underwent placement of 36 oversized sirolimus (n = 12), everolimus (n = 12), and bare metal (cobalt chromium, n = 12) stents in the coronary arteries. Results: At day 28, vessel injury scores were low (