Gill Heart Institute Selected for Major Clinical Trial for Bioabsorbable Stent

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Feb. 24, 2015) -- The Gill Heart Institute at the University of Kentucky is participating in a multi-center clinical trial of a new medical device that has the potential to improve the outcomes and reduce the incidence of angina for patients with coronary artery disease (CAD).

For decades, cardiologists opened blocked coronary arteries using balloons and followed that by implanting stents (mesh-like devices) that act like scaffolds to maintain the patency of the artery. Traditionally, stents are a permanent implant made of metal.  The ABSORB IV trial will test a new stent called the Absorb Bioresorbable Vascular Scaffold (BVS), a scaffold made of a polymer that can be completely absorbed by the body after the artery heals.  As with metal stents, the BVS is covered by a drug coating that prevents excessive scar tissue from re-narrowing the artery. The BVS, the coating and the drug all dissolve approximately 12-24 months after the procedure. The hope is that the artery recovers its ability to respond to the heart’s needs for more blood flow with activity.

Gill is one of 40 centers in the U.S. participating in this landmark clinical trial, which aims to enroll 3,000 patients nationwide.

Dr. Khaled Ziada, director of the Cardiac Catheterization Laboratories at the Gill Heart Institute, is enthusiastic about the impact this study might have for the millions of people suffering from coronary artery disease worldwide.

"We've come a long way in the treatment of CAD, starting with balloon angioplasty in the 1970s, bare metal stents in the 1990s, and drug eluting stents in the 2000s," says Ziada. "Bioresorbable stents like the Absorb BVS allow us to take advantage of using stents to keep the arteries open, without leaving behind a permanent implant. 

"We hope this leads to healthier arteries and better control of patient symptoms."

Heart disease is the leading cause of death worldwide, and CAD is the most common type of heart disease. CAD occurs when arteries that supply blood to the heart are narrowed or blocked due to the buildup of fatty deposits called plaques, leading to angina (chest pain) and increased heart attack risk.