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Figure 5 (A) Representative linear fit curves of injury-dependent inflammation in the four studied groups. Rinsed stents (untouched + rinsed = c; handled + rinsed = d) induced less inflammation than not-rinsed stents (handled + not-rinsed = a; untouched + not-rinsed = b). Significant differences in intercepts were found both between handled + not-rinsed and handled + rinsed stents (p = 0.008) and between untouched + not-rinsed and untouched + rinsed stents (p = 0.018). B, C, and D are hematoxylin-eosin microphotographs of peri-strut inflammation. (B) mild inflammatory response around untouched + not-rinsed stent struts; (C) moderate inflammation around handled + not-rinsed stent struts with resulting thicker neointima. Note the presence of an inflammatory reaction in the adventitia; (D) absent inflammation around a handled + rinsed strut. Bar = 0.2 mm.