ABSTRACT

Background: Bioabsorbable vascular scaffolds (BVS) are a relatively new technology in interventional cardiology and it has many upsides when comparing it to metallic stents. After performing its main function – revascularization, it also repairs the wall of the artery and then absorbs and disappears completely. Basically it overcomes all of the downsides which metallic stents have. This study was done to evaluate results and complications of two-year treatment and also the need of revascularization for patients that have been treated with BVS. Methods: This follow up is done performing a retrospective survey. There were 46 consecutive patients who have suffered from ischemic heart disease in our survey (this includes stable and unstable chest angina and myocardial infarction). First of all, risk factors of our patients were collected (diabetes, hypertension, smoking). Coronary artery angiography and stenting with bioabsorbable stents were performed on all of these patients. Patients were observed while still in hospital, after six months, after one year and after two years after discharge from the hospital in case of complications – major adverse cardiac events (MACE – death, thrombosis, myocardial infarction, stroke). Also, we evaluated length of hospitalization and the need for repeated revascularization. Results: Age mean of patients which participated in the study was 58 years of which 26 were males and 20 were females. More than half (73.9%) of participants had stable angina pectoris with one vessel disease (47.8%), two vessel disease (23.9%), three vessel disease (28.3%). To determine the complexity of coronary artery disease we used the Syntax score and 47.8% of study participants had a score of more than 10 points. Risk factors – such as arterial hypertension (95.6%), diabetes (4.3%), smoking (15.2%), and dyslipidemia (76%) were also evaluated. The study analyzed the most suitable technique aspects: 47.8% of patients had a long 28 x 3.5 mm stent. During the one year period there were no complications whatsoever. During the second year – there were 3 myocardial infarctions and 1 revascularization. The mean of hospitalization time was 6.25 ± 2.58 days.