Apr 16 2004
Scientists at Singapore’s Nanyang Technical University have created the world’s first completely biodegradable stent. The new stent can also incorporate a cocktail of drugs, which is another first.
Existing stents are typically made of metals which remain in the body essentially unchanged. They made also need to be removed at a later stage as they can interfere with medical diagnostic tests such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The new stents break down into lactic acid over a period of 3 to 6 months.
The stents can also be made with up to 20 layers of drugs to treat a range of scenarios such as drugs to prevent blood vessels from narrowing and others to prevent clotting. The layers of drugs can also be tailored to suit an individual patient. Furthermore, the release rates and stages can also be controlled.
The stents are suited to coronary arteries, urinary tracts as well as brain and lung applications.
The stent technology has been snapped up by one of the world’s largest heart stent manufacturers.
For more information on stents, click here.