A Fully Bioresorbable Vascular Scaffold, Not Quite Ready for Prime Time

Although the device was statistically noninferior to DES, study findings raised concerns about implantation success and stent thrombosis.

Coronary stents, both bare and drug-eluting (DES), have become the predominant therapy for coronary artery disease when revascularization is appropriate. However, concerns about late adverse events have prompted manufacturers to develop stents with bioresorbable components.

In ABSORB III, a manufacturer-funded trial, investigators randomized 2008 patients in a 2:1 ratio to receive a fully bioresorbable vascular scaffold (BVS) or a standard DES; both were everolimus-eluting devices. The primary endpoint, target-lesion failure at 1 year (cardiac death, target-vessel myocardial infarction [MI], or ischemia-driven revascularization), occurred in 7.8% of patients treated with BVS and 6.1% of patients treated with DES. This difference was consider…

Reviewing Author

Howard C. Herrmann, MD

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardAffluent Medical; Artedrone; Caranx; Johnson & Johnson; Medtronic; Prolifagen; Wells Fargo

EquityMicrointerventional Devices, Inc.

RoyaltiesUniversity of Pennsylvania

Grant/Research SupportAbbott Vascular; Edwards Lifesciences; Johnson & Johnson; Medtronic

Editorial BoardsCatheterization and Cardiovascular Interventions; Journal of the American College of Cardiology; Circulation: Cardiovascular Interventions; JACC Cardiovascular Interventions; JACC Case Reports; JSCAI

Leadership Positions in Professional SocietiesHeart Valve Collaboratory (Scientific Committee Member, Chair of the Publications Committee)