User:Reclibva/Resorbable stents

BIORESORBABLE STENTS

In spite of recent advancements, the use of metal drug-eluting stents still presents some potential drawbacks. These include a predisposition to late stent thrombosis, prevention of late vessel adaptive or expansive remodeling, hindrance of surgical revascularization, and impairment of imaging with multislice CT.

To overcome some of these potential drawbacks, several companies are pursuing the development of bioresorbable or bioabsorbable stents. Like today’s metal stents, placement of a bioresorbable stent will restore blood flow and support the vessel through the healing process. However, in the case of a bioresorbable stent, the stent will gradually resorb and be benignly cleared from the body, leaving no permanent implant. Studies have shown that the most critical period of vessel healing is largely complete by approximately three months. Therefore, the goal of a bioresorbable or “temporary” stent is to fully support the vessel during this critical period, and then resorb from the body when it is no longer needed.

Bioresorbable stents are currently limited to clinical investigational use only and are not yet approved for sale. Companies currently developing bioresorbable stents include Abbott Vascular (NYSE:ABT) www.abbottvascular.comand REVA Medical, Inc. www.teamreva.com, a privately-held medical device company located in San Diego, CA.