Yesterday, the Food and Drug Administration approved Abbott's Absorb stent, the first fully dissolving stent to be approved by the FDA.

A 10-person FDA advisory panel, including Dr. George Vetrovec of Virginia Commonwealth University, voted unanimously in March to affirm that the stent's benefits and efficacy outweigh its risks. The same panel voted 9-1 in favor of its safety profile, despite the risk of blood clots for some patients.

"This is presumably a better technology going forward - at least that's the theory - but it will take years to prove," said Vetrovec to the Associated Press.

FDA approves Absorb with advisory panel warning

Continue reading “Absorb” Approved; Bioresorbable, Drug-coated Stent to Roll Out “in a Phased Way”