Establishment of an Animal Model of Vascular Restenosis with Bilateral Carotid Artery Grafting

Background Vascular restenosis occurring after CABG is a major clinical problem that needs to be addressed. Vein grafts are associated with a higher degree of stenosis than artery grafts. However, the mechanism responsible for this effect has not been elucidated. We aimed to establish a rabbit model of vascular restenosis after bilateral carotid artery grafting, and to investigate the associated spatiotemporal changes of intimal hyperplasia in carotid artery and jugular vein grafts after surgery.