Abbott introduces bio-absorbable drug eluting vascular scaffold for cardiac use

Abbott today said it has introduced the world's first drug eluting bioresorbable vascular scaffold (BVS) in India.

The stent had been launched in September this year in Europe and parts of Asia Pacific and Latin America.

Abbott said in a statement its BVS is a first-of-its-kind device for the treatment of coronary artery disease (CAD) that works by restoring blood flow to the heart similar to a metallic stent, but then dissolves into the body over time, leaving behind a treated vessel that may resume more natural function and movement because it is free of a permanent metallic stent.

Abbott's BVS is made of polylactide, a naturally dissolvable material that is commonly used in medical implants such as dissolving sutures.

It is similar to a small mesh tube, is designed to open a blocked heart vessel and restore blood flow to the heart. It is referred to as a scaffold to indicate that it is a temporary structure, unlike a stent, which is a permanent implant. The scaffold provides support to the vessel until the artery can stay open on its own, and then dissolves naturally. Abbott's

The potential long-term benefits of a scaffold that dissolves are significant, the statement said. The vessel may expand and contract as needed to increase the flow of blood to the heart in response to normal activities such as exercising; treatment and diagnostic options are broadened; the need for long-term treatment with anti-clotting medications may be reduced; and future interventions would be unobstructed as it would be by a permanent implant.