INTRAMURAL DELIVERY OF NITRIC OXIDE ENHANCER FOR INHIBITING LESION FORMATION AFTER VASCULAR INJURY

摘要

Vessels suffering vascular injury from angioplasty are treated with L-arginine intramurally. The incidents associated with restenosis are substantially reduced providing for reduced incidents of restenosis as a result of the injury. An iontophoretic catheter can be used for local delivery of the L-arginine. In the catheter, one electrode (28) is located within the catheter body (11) while the other electrode (31) is located on the body surface or within the body of the patient. The catheter balloon (26) is then inflated with the drug entering the balloon interior (27) through lumen (23). Activation of the power supply (30) causes the drug to cross the balloon wall (26) and contact the surrounding vessel wall (15) and vascular tissue.