Department of Surgery, Division of Vascular Surgery, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany. j_heckenkamp@hotmail.com
Cardiovascular interventions to correct arterial occlusive disease have excellent short-term results, but long-term patency is still seriously compromised by the development of restenosis. This review will provide a portrait of the mechanisms following vascular injury, define the clinical scope of the problem and outline developments of different therapeutical strategies to prevent restenosis.