The first Polish stent for the restoration of coronary arteries was created, which, after implantation, completely “dissolves” in the patient’s body. In addition, it is more durable and thinner than those available on the market, so it absorbs faster and the risk of complications after the procedure is lower. It was created by a team of young scientists led by doc. Piotr Buszman.
For more than half a century, we have been dying mainly from cardiovascular diseases. That is why every good news about cardiology in Poland is especially happy. Like this one today. – After about 2 years, after fulfilling the task of unblocking the vessel and releasing the drug through the stent, it will not leave any trace in the patient’s body. This has high hopes for minimizing the risk of late complications such as thrombosis or heart attack in humans. – says doc. Piotr Buszman, head of the “Apollo” project under which a grant was awarded to create a prototype. This month, scientists from the Research and Development Center of the American Heart of Poland implanted the first stents into the coronary arteries of pigs. – If animal tests give positive results, we will start clinical trials, and after obtaining the appropriate certificate, serial production – says doc. Bushman. Their advantage is also to be a competitive price. The ones that are used in Poland among the biodegradable stents cost PLN 3000-4000, so they are not available to most patients who require arterial restoration. Others decide on the reimbursed ones, which, unfortunately, are not biodegradable – they remain in the artery, which has reduced flexibility in this place.
On Wednesday, Piotr Buszman visited the International Cardiology Conference in Zabrze. One of the topics that aroused great emotions among its participants was the project of the Ministry of Health concerning a drastic reduction of expenses on cardiac surgery procedures. And it is precisely because Poles are killed by heart attacks so often that the idea of the community of cardiologists is very controversial.
The “Apollo” project is carried out under a grant from the National Center for Research and Development “Strategmed” by CBR AHP. Polish company Balton, Center of Polymer and Carbon Materials of the Polish Academy of Sciences, Faculty of Biomedical Engineering of the Silesian University of Technology, Silesian Center for Heart Diseases in Zabrze, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering of the Military University of Technology.