bioresorbablestentit

Bioresorbablestentit is a term used to refer to bioresorbable stents, a category of vascular stents designed to provide temporary vessel scaffolding and then gradually dissolve within the body after healing. These devices are intended to combine the immediate support of a stent with the long‑term advantage of leaving the artery free of a permanent implant.

Most bioresorbable stents are either polymer-based, commonly using poly-L-lactic acid or related polymers, or metal-based, such as magnesium or iron alloys. Polymer stents slowly degrade through hydrolysis over months to years, while certain metal-based designs resorb through controlled corrosion. Many devices are designed to release antiproliferative drugs to reduce restenosis, similar to conventional drug-eluting stents, with the goal of limiting restenosis during the healing period before resorption.

Clinical rationale centers on reducing late complications associated with permanent implants, such as very late stent thrombosis and chronic vascular inflammation, and potentially restoring natural vasomotion after resorption. However, achieving consistent mechanical performance, predictable degradation timing, and low rates of scaffold thrombosis has proven challenging. Early generations faced higher rates of device‑related adverse events compared with durable drug‑eluting stents, limiting widespread adoption.

History and current status: the most prominent example, Abbott’s Absorb bioresorbable vascular scaffold, was withdrawn from the market in 2017 after safety concerns in clinical trials. Since then, use of bioresorbable stents has declined in many regions, with permanent drug-eluting stents remaining the standard in most settings. Research continues into next‑generation polymers and resorbable metals, aiming to improve safety, efficacy, and patient selection, but adoption remains selective.