A panel of Food and Drug Administration advisors has unanimously backed the safety and effectiveness of an experimental cardiac stent that dissolves two to three years after implantation, according to Reuters.
The stent is developed by Abbott Laboratories and made of a degradable material that dissipates much like stitches after a year for patients who have had their arteries cleared of plaque. The new device could be a good alternative to metal stents, which in rare instances break and cause serious complications.
Although trials of the new stent haven't produced statistically significant improvements in patient outcomes, the device could receive FDA approval by year's end.