THROMBUS FORMATION ON DISRUPTED PLAQUES

Acute cardiovascular events that usually involve thrombus formation at sites of disrupted atherosclerotic plaques are currently described as atherothrombosis. Thrombosis is a major complication of atherosclerosis and also a rare but serious complication after stent implantation. However, it does not always result in complete thrombotic occlusion with subsequent acute symptomatic events (1). Therefore, thrombus growth is critical to the onset of clinical events. Thrombus formation is probably modulated by the thrombogenicity of exposed plaque constituents, local hemorheology, systemic thrombogenicity and fibrinolytic activity. Although the mechanisms of thrombus formation have been intensively investigated, little is known about either the mechanisms involved in thrombogenesis or thrombus growth after plaque disruption and stent implantation. This article examines the pathology of atherothrombosis, including late drug-eluting stent (DES) thrombosis, and recent advances in the understanding of thrombogenetic mechanisms and thrombus growth on atherosclerotic lesions, especially coronary atherothrombosis.