| abstract |
A method for treating the vascular passage of a patient, damaged by procedures such as an endarterectomy which denude portions of the vascular passages of their endothelial cell linings, is disclosed. In this method, endothelial cells are isolated from the patient's own microvessels, the flow of blood through the patient's damaged vascular passage is interrupted, the endothelial cells isolated from the patient's microvessels are applied to the surface of the denuded portion of the patient's vascular passage in a density sufficient to provide coverage of at least about 50 % of said denuded portion, and interruption of blood flow through the vascular passage is maintained for a period of time sufficient to allow the sodded cells to form an attachment to the vascular lining sufficient to withstand the shear created by resumed blood flow through the vascular passage. |