Magically Disappearing Heart Stents
October 25, 2006 by Lei
Filed under Diseases & Conditions
Abbott’s XIENCE™ V Everolimus Eluting Coronary Stent System, a drug-coated “bioabsorbable” stent, is proving to be successful in treating patients with coronary artery disease participating in the ABSORB clinical trial. The new stent is eventually fully absorbed and metabolized by the coronary artery thus solving the problem of metal stents that can intefere with imaging of the heart. Also, some studies have shown that blood clots can form inside currently used drug-coated metal stent and increase the risk of a heart attack or stroke.
The absorbable stent is made of polylactic acid, which is used in other medical products such as sutures used to close wounds after surgery and also absorb into the body, researchers say. It is coated with the same drug that Abbott uses on its drug-coated metal stent, known as Xience. The stent has been approved in Europe and Abbott will submit it to U.S. regulators next year for approval in 2008.
Exciting news for the more than one million Americans plus many others worldwide who receive stents each year. (womenshealth.gov, October 12, 2006)
Chicago Tribune, October 25, 2006
Technorati Tags: stents, drug coated stents, xience, abbott, heart, heart disease, coronary artery disease, cardiovascular disease, diseases, health
This is incredible. I never would have thought i’d see the day where they could put a stint in your heart and it will dissolve. Thank you modern technology.