Absorbable stent: focus on clinical applications and benefits

bsorbable stent: focus on clinical applications and benefits Review (3661) Total Article Views Authors: Gonzalo N, Macaya C Published Date February 2012 Volume 2012:8 Pages 125 - 132 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.2147/VHRM.S22551 Received: 14 December 2011 Accepted: 16 January 2012 Published: 29 February 2012 Nieves Gonzalo, Carlos Macaya Interventional Cardiology, Cardiovascular Institute. Hospital Clinico San Carlos, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Hospital Clinico San Carlos, Madrid, Spain Abstract: Coronary stents have improved very significantly the immediate and long-term results of percutaneous coronary interventions. However, once the vessel has healed, the scaffolding function of the stent is no longer needed, and the presence of a permanent metallic prosthesis poses important disadvantages. This has led to the idea of creating new devices that are able to provide mechanical support for a determined period and then disappear from the vessel, allowing its natural healing and avoiding the risks associated with having a permanent metallic cage, such as stent thrombosis. Absorbable stents currently appear as one of the most promising fields in interventional cardiology. The present article will review the available clinical evidence regarding these devices at present and their future perspectives.