Can Stents Pull Off a Disappearing Act?

Just three years ago bioabsorbable stents seemed to be more of a "nice to have" than a "need to have." After all,drug-eluting stents (DES) were seen as the answer to restenosis and showed very minimal risks to patient safety. But the recent concerns over DES have start-ups and corporations pushing harder for bioabsorbable stents.

Just three years ago bioabsorbable stents seemed to be more of a "nice to have" than a "need to have." After all, drug-eluting stents (DES) were seen as the answer to restenosis and showed very minimal risks to patient safety. Johnson & Johnson and Boston Scientific Corp. had the clear lead in introducing Cypher and Taxus, respectively, to the interventional community, with Medtronic Inc., Guidant Corp., and Abbott Laboratories Inc. bringing up the rear.

Then in September 2006 at the World Congress of Cardiology meeting in Barcelona, DES were linked to a four-letter word—clot....

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