Direct Relationship Between Wall Shear Rate and Intimal Hyperplasia in Vascular Bypass Grafts

Researchers have long debated the role of near wall hemodynamics in the development of vascular diseases. In particular, wall shear has been implicated to be inversely correlated with vascular disorders such as atherosclerosis [1] and intimal hyperplasia (IH) [2] possibly due to a remodelling process [3]. Few studies, however, have shown a direct relationship between wall shear stress and the development of these vascular diseases. It is the purpose of this study to directly evaluate the effect of wall shear rate on the development of intimal hyperplasia at the distal anastomosis of vascular bypass grafts.