Pathology of in-stent restenosis.

The process of in-stent restenosis parallels wound healing responses. Stent deployment results in early thrombus deposition and acute inflammation, granulation tissue development, and ultimately smooth muscle cell proliferation and extracellular matrix synthesis. The severity of arterial injury during stent placement correlates with increased inflammation and late neointimal growth. These pathological findings provide useful targets for therapies aimed at reducing the incidence of in-stent restenosis.