No-Reflow Phenomenon Persists Long-Term After Ischemia/Reperfusion in the Rat and Predicts Infarct Expansion

Abstract

The no-reflow phenomenon persists for 1 month after reperfusion and predicts worse scar thinning and infarct expansion. Thus, one might shift the "open-artery" hypothesis downstream to an "open-microvessel" hypothesis, relating infarct healing, infarct expansion, and outcome to the completeness of microvascular reperfusion above and beyond epicardial artery patency.