Surgeons At Doylestown Health Successfully Implant Dissolvable Stent

DOYLESTOWN, PA ? Doylestown Health?s Vascular Surgery team has successfully implanted a first-of-its-kind dissolvable stent - Abbott?s Esprit BTK Everolimus Eluting Resorbable Scaffold System.

The team from Doylestown is the first in the greater Philadelphia region to use the drug-eluting dissolvable stent, the newest FDA-approved treatment option for people with chronic limb-threatening ischemia below-the-knee.

The stent/scaffold is designed to keep arteries open and deliver a drug to support vessel healing prior to dissolving over time, according to Atul Rao, MD, vascular surgeon.

?The standard treatment, balloon angioplasty, uses a small balloon to open blocked vessels. But this method often leads to short- and long-term issues, with many blockages reoccurring and requiring more treatment. This new technology shows a potential to have improved durability and mitigate recurrence,? says Dr. Rao.

How the Dissolvable Stent Works

The hospital's fellowship-trained vascular surgeons, Dr. Atul Rao and Paul Foley, MD, implant the Esprit BTK System during a minimally invasive catheter-based procedure via a needle puncture in the leg. Once the blockage has been crossed, the Esprit BTK System helps to keep the small arteries below the knee open and delivers a drug called everolimus, to support vessel healing until it is strong enough to remain open on its own.

?The system addresses an unmet need for people living with chronic limb threatening ischemia (CLTI) and allows us to more effectively treat challenging lesions below-the-knee (BTK),? says Dr. Foley. ?This serious form of peripheral artery disease occurs when arteries become clogged with plaque, preventing blood flow and oxygen from reaching the lower leg and foot. With progression, the disease process can lead to limb amputation.?

The stent is placed during a minimally invasive procedure through a small poke-hole in the groin. The scaffold helps heal the vessel and supports it for about three years until the vessel can stay open on its own.

?This new treatment option supports healing while reducing the risk of long-term complications,? says Dr. Rao. ?We?re excited to be able to offer our patients the latest technological advancements to treat chronic limb-threatening ischemia below-the-knee such as Abbott?s new dissolvable stent.?