Vascular intervention: From angioplasty to bioresorbable vascular scaffold

Abstract

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the leading cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide. Clinically, CAD can be potentially managed through surgical artery bypass. However, due to the highly invasive nature, surgical intervention has been gradually replaced by percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty and recently by percutaneous coronary revascularization using metallic stents. However, the permanent presence of metallic scaffolds inevitably impairs arterial physiology and may induce a variety of adverse effects, such as inflammation, restenosis, thrombosis, and neoatherosclerosis. To address these limitations, revascularization using bioresorbable vascular scaffolds (BVSs) has emerged as the most promising approach. After angioplasty, BVSs provide temporarily mechanical support and are completely resorbed over defined time. This transient nature allows favorable arterial remodeling and avoids thrombosis and in-stent restenosis. However, the theoretical advantages of BVSs have yet to be demonstrated. In this chapter, we first review the evolution of nonsurgical vascular intervention approaches over the past few decades. Next, we discuss the current status of BVS development and propose potential approaches to addressing the limitations associated with the current BVSs.