Biodegradable vascular scaffold ABSORB BVS™ – scientific evidence and methods of implantation

Since 2006, over 600 biodegradable vascular scaffolds (BVS) have been implanted worldwide in clinical trials such as ABSORB cohort A and B, ABSORB Extend and ABSORB II RCT. Due to completely changed construction and mechanical properties of BVS, the choice of proper scaffold diameter and its implantation differ significantly from those used in the case of metal stents (bare metal stent (BMS) or drug eluting stent (DES)). Furthermore, all data concerning BVS efficacy and safety come from clinical trials, conducted in a selected group of patients. In 2012 BVS ABSORB™ was approved as the first biodegradable scaffold for the treatment of coronary artery disease in EU and other countries, with a limitation of use only for experienced and trained interventional cardiologists. As one of the most experienced clinical centers in Europe and the first one that in 2006 implanted BVS ABSORB™ in Poland we have a great pleasure and honor to share our experience with interventional cardiologists who would like to prepare for BVS ABSORB™ implantation in their centers. In this article we wanted to summarize the clinical data from already finished and ongoing trials, give a short overview of patient selection, and provide a detailed description of the implantation process with tips which could be helpful during BVS use.