New Health Tool

Goofproof · Post by **Goofproof** » Sat Nov 04, 2006 1:00 pm

Dissolvable stent used in trial patients

WASHINGTON, -- An experimental dissolvable heart stent is
safe and working for patients in an early human clinical
trial, Abbott Laboratories told a U.S. medical conference.
The "bioabsorbable" stent is designed to be "fully absorb-
ed and slowly metabolized by the coronary artery," the
company told participants at the Transcatheter Cardiovas-
cular Therapeutics conference in Washington, D.C. The
North Chicago, Ill., medical products giant said it hoped
the drug-coated stent, inserted after angioplasty to keep
blocked arteries open, evolves into the next generation
of medical devices for opening clogged pathways to the
heart, The Chicago Tribune reported. The goal of the new
stent is to leave behind a healed blood vessel after the
stent is absorbed, Abbott said. The company said more
studies were needed before the stent would be made
generally available, but doctors said a non-metallic
stent could be important because existing devices can
clutter or cloud pictures of hearts being diagnosed,
and sometimes lead to blood clots.

bairdbeth · Post by **bairdbeth** » Sat Nov 04, 2006 1:07 pm

Wow! Hope it works! It sounds like ot could be good news for those who need them!

Goofproof · Post by **Goofproof** » Sat Nov 04, 2006 1:15 pm

[quote="bairdbeth"]Wow! Hope it works! It sounds like ot could be good news for those who need them!

bairdbeth · Post by **bairdbeth** » Sat Nov 04, 2006 1:29 pm

Now that would be great! Although as a newbie, I am already used to the pressure and don't mind wearing a mask? Weird?

Goofproof · Post by **Goofproof** » Sat Nov 04, 2006 1:35 pm

[quote="bairdbeth"]Now that would be great! Although as a newbie, I am already used to the pressure and don't mind wearing a mask? Weird?

Bamalady · Post by **Bamalady** » Sat Nov 04, 2006 7:11 pm

Thanks for posting about the stents. I will be watching this. Would have been nice if they had been on the market a few years ago, before I had to have my first one. Maybe since my Apnea is being treated now, I won't have to have any more (fingers crossed!)

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sun Nov 05, 2006 12:45 pm

So how is this related to sleep apnea?

Wulfman · Post by **Wulfman** » Sun Nov 05, 2006 12:57 pm

Anonymous wrote:So how is this related to sleep apnea?

By blood.

Den

Bamalady · Post by **Bamalady** » Sun Nov 05, 2006 1:15 pm

Den.

Guest...

In case you are really looking for info....Untreated Apnea can lead to all sorts of damage to the body. This past Tuesday, I had my 4th and 5th stents inserted into my Vascular system. They are metal. To think there may eventually be stents that work well and dissolve is a huge step forward in this area. My Apnea was undiagnosed and untreated until just over a year ago. Docs and I now hope that the damage will slow down. But just in case there are lingering effects, it is nice to know what is being developed for use.