Dissolving Stents
A new kind of stent is showing promise… dissolving stents.
The new stents are designed to dissolve in the artery three
years after being implanted.
The new stent is made of lactic acid molecules. The research
has not been rigorously tested yet, and the trial has only
been presented at a medical meeting (not in a peer reviewed
journal).
COMMENT: maybe this will work… maybe. We just don't know
yet. For now, aggressive medical therapy is looking good for
early disease, and stents good for moderate to severe
disease. The field is changing so rapidly that the best bet
is to have a frank discussion with both your cardiologist
and your primary care clinician. Ask plenty of questions,
and work together to come to a solution that seems
reasonable to everyone.