BIORESORBABLE SCAFFOLDS

Abstract

Bioresorbable scaffolds represent a novel technology that could improve outcomes of coronary angioplasty. The scaffold should give mechanical support at the lesion early after balloon angioplasty, avoiding elastic recoil, progression of dissections and plaques shift, but after the stabilization of the lesion it should disappear. The hypothesized potential benefits of these devices were several: the restoration of vasomotion, the suitability of the vessel for further revascularization, the restoration of flow towards side branches in the treatment of bifurcation, and the reduction of proliferation in response to foreign body, leeding to a reduction of late in-stent restenosis. The disappointing results of the first devices can be partially explained by the immature technology, and partially by their unrestricted use. A novel platform, completely different from previous ones, is now showing encouraging results. Certainly, at present, especially due to the lack of RCTs and long-term data, bioresorbable scaffolds should not be preferred to conventional DES in routine clinical practice. The following chapter gives an overview on this topic explaining the features of the different devices, and describing the results of the major studies to date available.