Bioabsorbable drug-eluting stents: the future of coronary angioplasty?

In the ABSORB trial, the feasibility of using a fully bioabsorbable everolimus-eluting stent (BVS; Abbott Vascular, Santa Clara, CA) in patients with ischemia and a single de novo coronary lesion was investigated. Some important concerns about the efficacy of this device were raised by this study. The in-stent late loss with the BVS (0.44 mm) was comparable to that seen with some drug-eluting stents currently on the market, and the late lumen loss was primarily due to reduction in stent area. Technical improvements aimed at definitively preventing late vessel recoil and negative remodeling, as well as clarification of the behavior of these devices with longer follow-up, are needed before fully bioalbsorbable drug-eluting stents can be considered a therapeutic option for patients with coronary artery disease.