The Abbott Absorb bioresorbable stent, the first FDA-approved naturally-dissolving heart stent, is now available to patients through the McLaren Health System-owned McLaren Cardiovascular Institute. The Absorb stent is designed to fully dissolve within three years, producing enhanced clinical outcomes for coronary artery disease patients who don’t want a permanent implant.
All procedures are performed by McLaren Cardiovascular Institute interventional cardiologists at Mt. Clemens-based McLaren Macomb through a concierge service.
“The approval and launch of this device represents a significant advancement in our ability to treat chronic heart disease,” says Dr. Timothy Logan, an interventional cardiologist at McLaren Cardiovascular Institute. “Dissolved entirely after three years, patients and physicians alike don’t have to commit themselves to a permanent implant, which leads to reduced anxiety while also maintaining the standard of care.”
Logan says the Absorb stent is a “major advancement” in treating coronary artery disease, or CAD, which occurs when clogged arteries limit blood flow to the heart. Logan adds that CAD affects more than 15 million Americans and remains a leading cause of deaths worldwide.
The Absorb stent is made of material similar to self-dissolving sutures, and disappears after completing its task of keeping a clogged artery open. The stent allows an artery to naturally flex and pulse as the demands of the heart change with the increase and decrease of daily physical activity.
More information about cardiac care offered at the McLaren Cardiovascular Institute can be found here.
