ABC's of bioabsorption: application of lactide based polymers in fully resorbable cardiovascular stents

Lactide based polymers present a promising class of materials for successful development of fully resorbable stents, thus helping to bring the concept of vascular restoration therapies to life. Not only can these polymers be perfectly tuned to fulfil technical requirements for a fully resorbable stent, they have been proven to be safe materials with a long track record of in vivo biocompatibility in a broad range of medical and pharmaceutical fields. They have a strong regulatory history as well. The polymers degrade through hydrolysis, and are eliminated by the human body through natural pathways via the Krebs cycle. The polymers can perform a temporary mechanical function, allowing the tissue to heal and resume its original function before the implant looses its mechanical integrity. The mechanical performance of the stent can be achieved through stent design and manufacturing methods, as well as tailoring the properties of the polymer itself. The resorption time of cardiovascular stents based on these polymers can be tuned -from a polymer perspective- by tailoring the molecular weight, the crystallinity and the hydrophilicity of the polymer. Drug eluting coatings for resorbable stents can be developed from the same family of polymers, tailoring the composition to the desired controlled release of the applicable drug. To successfully develop resorbable cardiovascular devices an interdisciplinary approach is needed, bringing together polymer chemists and engineers and connecting them with medical device and clinical experts.