Around half a million stents are implanted in Germany every year to treat narrowing of the blood vessels, a consequence of atherosclerosis. However, conventional models made of metal or polymers injure the endothelium, the protective innermost cell layer of the blood vessels, when they are inserted. This cell layer takes a long time to regenerate, and if it is damaged, there is also an elevated risk of thrombosis. To prevent blood clotting and thus thrombosis at the stent site, patients must take high doses of anticoagulant medications—often for the rest of their lives.
This article was originally published on MedicalXpress.com
