Abbott's dissolvable heart stent gets OK for use in Europe

Abbott Laboratories said Monday that its experimental dissolvable heart stent has received approval in Europe, a milestone in the development of the next-generation heart device for patients in the U.S. and around the world.

The North Chicago-based drug and medical-device giant said it is the first-ever government regulatory approval of a "bioabsorbable" stent. Abbott hopes its drug-coated absorbable stent, which is inserted after balloon angioplasty to keep blocked pathways open, evolves into an advancement of medical devices for clearing clogged arteries.

Unlike existing stents made of a metal mesh or drug-coated metal, Abbott's stent is designed to be absorbed and slowly metabolized by the coronary arteries. After two years, patients will no longer need a metal stent in their arteries, according to clinical trials, Abbott said.

Cardiology experts say the absorbable stent holds promise, but it remains unclear whether it eventually would replace stents on the market, which have been hailed for their effectiveness at keeping arteries to the heart open and reducing the need for heart surgeries. They say Abbott's absorbable stent needs more study in the U.S., where trials have yet to begin and doctors are largely unfamiliar with it. Continue ►