Abstract:

BACKGROUND: Nowadays the metal stent, which is clinically widely used, may weaken the MRI or CT image of the coronary artery as a foreigner in the body. Besides, the metal stent may disturb revascularization, block collateral circulation forming and inhibit vascular remodeling. As a result, it needs antiplatelet therapy for a long time. So, a new biodegradable material to prepare a temporary, degradable coronary stent becomes a hot research.
OBJECTIVE: To introduces in details the thermal properties, mechanical properties, degradation properties and biocompatibility of polymers used in biodegradable stent research. Based on the biodegradable stent’s requirements for the materials, different candidate materials were compared and an elementary selection for proper materials was made. Then the research progress on biodegradable stent materials was reviewed. This paper would work as a guide in the selection of proper material for the biodegradable stent.
METHODS: Using “biodegradable stent, biodegradable material, PLA, PGA, PCL, PLGA” as the key words, Science Direct journal database from 2000 to 2010 was retrieved. Using “biodegradable stent, biodegradable material, PLA, PGA, PCL, PLGA” in Chinese as the key words, Wanfang database from 2002 to 2010 was retrieved. Literatures were limited to English and Chinese. The document retrieval is focused on the properties study of the biodegradable polymer materials and application on biodegradable coronary stent. Every included document is required to have strong point to the criteria.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The initially chosen raw materials for biodegradable coronary stent are PLA, PGA, PCL. Study shows that by blending or co-polymerization of those two or three, appropriate thermal, mechanical properties and degradation speed could be obtained, and numerous studies have conducted in documents and clinical application. Compared to the permanent metal stent, the degradable stent exhibits irreplaceable advantages, which determines its wide application prospect.