Initial and 6-Month Results of Biodegradable Poly- l -Lactic Acid Coronary Stents in Humans

Abstract

Our preliminary experience suggests that coronary PLLA biodegradable stents are feasible, safe, and effective in humans. Long-term follow-up with more patients will be required to validate the long-term efficacy of PLLA stents.

Transcatheter Stent Therapy in Children: An Update

“…Stents made of these metals remain within the vessel wall and get incorporated into the wall and do not have the potential to grow. Biodegradable stents [33][34][35] may address these concerns. Characteristics of ideal biodegradable stents would be: 1) offer sufficient radial strength to prevent vessel recoil, 2) do not induce inflammatory of thrombotic response, 3) reabsorbed within weeks to months and 4) breakdown products are not toxic.…”

“…Biodegradable stents [32][33][34][35][36]200,201] may offer a solution. These stents, composed of polyesters, polycarbonates, bacterial-derived polymers, or corrodible metals, initially keep the coarcted aortic segment open and dissolve over a period of months to years.…”

Histological and molecular evaluation of iron as degradable medical implant material in a murine animal model

“…The implants should be flexible to be compatible with minimally invasive techniques, and sufficiently sturdy to prevent collapsing or kinking. The mechanical stability of resorbable polymeric materials is not satisfactory and their degradation can provoke inflammation, whereas with metal alloys superior mechanical strength can be achieved [8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24] . Whereas magnesium stents tend to degrade too rapidly, this appears not to be the case for iron implants [25][26][27][28][29][30][31] .…”

Trend to move from permanent metals to degradable, multifunctional polymer or metallic implants in the example of coronary stents

“…In this respect, bioresorbable polymers represent promising substitutes for metallic stents. The first developments of biodegradable stents/scaffolds (BDS) include the paclitaxel-eluting poly (L-lactic acid) (PLLA) Aachen stent [5], the Igaki-Tamai stent [6], a resorbable Magnesium stent [7], and a polylactide-based stent [8]. The Igaki-Tamai stent was the first fully degradable stent ever implanted in humans.…”