Inertial cavitation inducing ultrasound-mediated microbubble treatments can produce resolution of vasospasm and restoration of distal arterial flow after peripheral artery injury. Resolution of catheter-induced vasospasm is likely to be nitric oxide- mediated because improvements in stenosis diameter and downstream blood flow were blunted following pretreatment with L-NAME. The potential for clinical applicability of this therapy is significant because: 1) microbubbles can be delivered systemically into the site of injury enabling relatively high local concentration; 2) targeted transcutaneous ultrasound delivery is achievable due to the proximity of vessels; and 3) microbubbles and diagnostic ultrasound system used are commercially available.
Keywords: Catheter induced vasospasm; Microbubble (MB); N(ω)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester; Ultrasound; Velocity time integral.