Advances of Fully Biodegradable Poly-p-Dioxanone and Polylactic Acid-Based Polymers as Left Atrial Appendage Closure...

Atrial fibrillation (AF)-related ischemic stroke carries substantial clinical risks, and transcatheter left atrial appendage closure (LAAC) constitutes a core stroke preventive intervention. Conventional non-degradable occluders are hampered by permanent foreign body retention, insufficient anatomical conformability, and sustained long-term foreign-body inflammatory stimulation. Fully biodegradable materials offer a novel approach for device advancement. This review summarizes the characteristics and composite modification technologies of poly-p-dioxanone (PPDO) and polylactic acid (PLA), analyzes the application advantages and latest research progress of biodegradable closure devices, discusses technical challenges and corresponding solutions, and prospects their development trends toward multi-functionality and intellectualization. Owing to their intrinsic advantages of complete in vivo resorption and tunable mechanical/degradation properties, such composites are poised to emerge as the next-generation mainstream LAAC implants, advancing AF-associated stroke prophylaxis toward precise, biointegrated interventional therapy.