Over the past years the development of biodegradable polymeric
stents has made great progress; nevertheless, essential problems must still be solved. Modifications in design and chemical composition should optimize the quality of biodegradable
stents and remove the weaknesses. New biodegradable
poly-L-lactide/poly-4-hydroxybutyrate (PLLA/P4HB)
stents and permanent 316L
stents were implantedendovascularly into both common carotid arteries of 10 domestic pigs. At 4 weeks following implantation, computed tomography (CT) angiography was carried out to identify the distal degree of
stenosis. The PLLA/P4HB group showed a considerably lower distal degree of
stenosis by additional oral application of
atorvastatin (mean 39.81 ± 8.57 %) compared to the untreated PLLA/P4HB group without
atorvastatin (mean 52.05 ± 5.80 %). The 316L
stents showed no differences in the degree of distal
stenosis between the group treated with
atorvastatin (mean 44.21 ± 2.34 %) and the untreated group (mean 35.65 ± 3.72 %). Biodegradable PLLA/P4HB
stents generally represent a promising approach to resolving the existing problems in the use of permanent
stents. Restitutio ad integrum is only achievable if a
stent is completely degraded.