title: Bioresorbable stents: The future of interventional cardiology?
abstract: The introduction of stents has drastically reduced target-lesion restenosis rates associated with percutaneous coronary angioplasty. Bare-metal stents were the first introduced, followed by drug-eluting stents, both of which had significant impacts on the complication rates. Stents, however, have resulted in the emergence of stent thrombosis and stent restenosis, which can cause life-threatening cardiac complications. Three new technological approaches are being investigated to overcome these complications: stents coated with bioresorbable polymers, stents without polymers, and completely bioresorbable stents. Initial results are encouraging, but more data are needed to ascertain their implications for clinical practice.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Heart and Vascular Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA. E-mail: elliss@ccf.org.
authors.forename: Stephen G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Ellis
authors.affiliation: Resident, Department of Internal Medicine, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA.
authors.forename: Haris
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Riaz
mesh_terms: D020341:Absorbable Implants; D017130:Angioplasty; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000628:therapy*; D005544:Forecasting; D006801:Humans; D062645:Percutaneous Coronary Intervention; D015607:Stents