Role of balloon occlusion for mononuclear bone marrow cell deposition after intracoronary injection in pigs with reperfused myocardial infarction

Abstract

The observation of a similar cell persistence after IC injections with and without balloon occlusion suggests that the balloon procedures currently applied in clinical studies are not necessary for cell deposit. If longer term persistence of cells plays a role for the clinical benefit of cardiac cell therapy, IM injection may be superior to IC applications.