Structural and Design Evolution of Bio-resorbable Scaffolds: The Journey so Far

Background: Coronary stenting has now become a gold standard to prevent or counteract narrowing and obstruction of coronary vessels due to disease or injury. While the use of stents has been successful in this situation, they are not without drawbacks and concerns. Restenosis and stent thrombosis after an interventional procedure are the dreaded side effects resulting from the body's natural response to a foreign object in the vasculature. New developments in drug-eluting stents, such as biodegradable materials could mitigate some of the problems like stent thrombosis, at least late stent thrombosis. Methods: The goal of this work is to identify how the structural and design components of bio-resorbable scaffolds (BRS) evolved and get translated into clinical outcomes. All the BRS articles were identified by an internet based search and relevant articles were included in the review. Results: The evolution of BRS from concept to current form is examined and the possible future course this field might turn discussed. Conclusion: The BRS field has evolved learning from DES terrain but this technology has its own advantages and limitations. Newer generation of bio-resorbable scaffolds will be required to replace current generation of technologically advanced DES.