Novel bioabsorbable polymer and polymer-free metallic drug-eluting stents

The introduction of drug-eluting stents (DES) significantly reduced angiographic restenosis and the clinical need for revascularization following percutaneous coronary intervention. However, concerns remain regarding the long-term safety and efficacy of DES. The use of durable polymers for drug elution that have limited biocompatibility is thought to contribute toward DES failure, by promoting an adverse local inflammatory response and vascular toxicity. Biodegradable polymer and polymer-free metallic stents represent two novel technological solutions to this challenging clinical problem. This review summarizes the available clinical evidence supporting the use of either biodegradable polymer or polymer-free DES platforms.