Bioresorbable stents are the future, says Apollo cardiologist

A stent that will dissolve within three years, and help the heart’s artery regain its normal state, was implanted in a 42-year-old patient in Madurai

Cardiologists at Apollo Hospitals, Madurai, say they have successfully implanted a dissolvable stent in a 42-year-old patient who reported with high blood pressure, chest discomfort and shortness of breath. Upon examination, he was diagnosed with a single blockage and a blood clot in his left anterior descending artery.

With consent from the patient’s family, senior interventional cardiologist, Vivek Bose, went ahead with the non-surgical procedure to use the Bioresorbable Stent (BRS) as opposed to the conventional metal stents. The procedure took 40 minutes and the patient was discharged within two days.

Briefing mediapersons on Friday, Dr. Bose said implanting a stent made with a naturally soluble material (called PLLA) is a milestone in cardiac sciences, as it sets the artery free from being trapped in a metal encasement. “It is not an evolution but a revolution,” he said, because the stent dissolves within three years and helps the artery regain its normal state and reduces the patient’s dependency on medicines. There is less than a five per cent chance of clots recurring at the same place,he added.