ABSTRACT
The objective for developing bioresorbable scaffolds (BRSs) devices has been to overcome the limitations of permanent metallic stents. Metallic stents are effective for preventing acute occlusion and late restenosis following angioplasty. Dr. Keiji Igaki, an engineer, and Dr. Hideo Tamai, an interventional cardiologist developed the initial design of the Igaki–Tamai stent was the knitted type, and a marked inflammatory response with neointimal hyperplasia was observed after its implantation in porcine coronary arteries. In order to acquire sufficient force, a high molecular weight poly-l-lactic acid (PLLA), was adopted. The pioneering Igaki–Tamai stent technology marks a milestone in the history of interventional cardiology. It has shown for the first time that polymers can be applied to coronary stents, whose safety, feasibility, and effectiveness have been demonstrated in both the short term and long term. Intravascular ultrasound (IVUS)-derived quantitative echogenicity has been shown to be valuable for monitoring the degradation and bioresorption processes of PLLA scaffolds.
