title: Microelectromechanical systems and nanotechnology: a platform for the next stent technological era.
abstract: Nanotechnology is the design and development of materials, structures, and devices with at least 1 dimension between the 1- and 100-nm-size scale. Manipulating matter at the atomic scale offers unique opportunities in material design particularly in biological interfaces. In this short review, we explore the disruptive technological opportunities that nanotechnology and microelectromechanical systems may offer in possible future stent designs along with safety issues that may surface with the use of nanoparticles in medical devices.
authors.affiliation: Department of Vascular Surgery, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge, UK. alouisos@gmail.com
authors.forename: Louizos-Alexandros
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Louizos
authors.forename: Panagiotis G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Athanasopoulos
authors.forename: Kevin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Varty
mesh_terms: D017130:Angioplasty / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000639:trends; D000818:Animals; D002317:Cardiovascular Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004337:Drug Carriers; D054855:Drug-Eluting Stents / Q000639:trends; D005544:Forecasting; D006801:Humans; D055617:Micro-Electrical-Mechanical Systems; D008904:Miniaturization; D053758:Nanoparticles; D036103:Nanotechnology / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000639:trends; D011474:Prosthesis Design
chemical_list: D002317:Cardiovascular Agents; D004337:Drug Carriers