Bioabsorbable stenting in peripheral artery disease

- The advantages of bioabsorbable stenting have been extensively studied and confirmed in coronary artery disease.
- Data on bioabsorbable stenting in peripheral artery disease are heterogenous and still controversial.
- This review collects and presents pooled data of all studies evaluating the performance of bioabsorbable stents in peripheral artery disease.
- Future expectations and challenges are discussed as well.

Arterial stenting has been broadly utilized for the management of peripheral arterial occlusive disease. The evolution of stent materials has led to the introduction of newer bioabsorbable scaffolds that have been extensively evaluated in the treatment of coronary artery disease. However, the utilization of bioabsorbable stents in the lower extremities remains challenging and has not been evaluated in the same degree. There are not many trials focusing on major outcomes of treatment with bioabsorbable stents or comparing them with other therapeutic choices such as surgery or angioplasty only. The aim of this review is to report current status on bioabsorbable stenting in peripheral artery disease treatment as well as to present the results of all major relevant trials. Moreover, future expectations and challenges with this type of stents are discussed as well.