An accumulation of plaque in
arteries supplying blood to the heart
causes constriction of blood flow.
Coronary Artery Disease
Coronary arteries, which supply blood to the heart muscle, are often susceptible to a buildup of plaque. This medical condition that blocks or inhibits arterial blood flow is referred to as arthrosclerosis (coronary heart disease). If coronary arteries become too narrow, cardiac tissue can become starved of nutrients, causing pain (angina). As narrowing increases, it can cause myocardial muscle cells downstream from the occlusion to suddenly die from lack of oxygen resulting in a life-threatening condition called a heart attack (myocardial infarction).
Conventional Coronary Stents
Today, coronary artery disease is often treated by placing a metal stent inside the vessel that serves as a permanent scaffold. However, it is generally believed that the stent is no longer needed once the artery has healed. Although rare, long-term complications can result from the placement of a permanent metal stent.
ReZolve™ Bioresorbable Coronary Stent
ReZolve is a bioresorbable drug-eluting stent designed to restore blood flow to the artery which allows the artery to remodel (heal), and then resorb from the body. The stent supports the vessel during the critical 90-day healing process, and then gradually resorbs and is benignly cleared from the body.
The ReZolve™ Bioresorbable Coronary Stent restores, remodels and resorbs
ReZorb™ Polymer
The ReZolve Bioresorbable Coronary Stent incorporates the proprietary ReZorb Polymer, which was
developed specifically for enhancing stent performance and provides adequate strength both initially and over time. Unlike metal alloys, the ReZorb Polymer readily resorbs and is eliminated from the body after it is no longer needed, leaving additional treatment options available in the future. It’s inherent radiopacity (x-ray visibility) is unique and allows the stent to be visualized during the implant procedure. Other bioresorbable polymer stents are invisible and require permanently attached radiopaque markers to aid in their placement.
Optimal Drug Delivery
Like most metal stents, ReZolve is a Drug-Eluting Stent (DES) coated with a therapeutic agent that inhibits renarrowing of the artery in the same location (restenosis). The drug that is delivered is a –limus compound, chosen from the family of anti-restenotic pharmaceuticals most preferred by physicians and industry experts. Completely eluted from the polymer within three months, this early release of the drug may permit a reduction in the need for prescribing long-term anti-coagulant medication (dual anti-platelet) to prevent the formation of clots. With metal stents, these dual anti-platelet drugs are currently recommended to be used for a minimum of six months, but are often prescribed for the life of the patient.
The Future of Stent Technology
Industry experts theorize that coronary artery disease treatment will evolve from today’s focus on mechanically restoring blood flow to diseased vessels to locally delivering therapeutic agents to treat the disease itself. Efforts are also underway to identify “vulnerable” plaque in arteries that indicate the likelihood of a future coronary event. In both instances, the ReZolve Bioresorbable Coronary Stent could be ideally suited for delivering current and new therapeutic agents to the artery wall for treatment.