New Dissolving Stent Offered At Mass. General Hospital

BOSTON (CBS) -- Metal stents are the standard of care for blockages in the heart but a new dissolvable stent was recently approved by the FDA. Dr. Mallika Marshall introduces us to one of the first patients in Boston to receive it.

73-year-old Fred Noyes thought he was doing everything right. He was a healthy eater and active tennis player but nine years ago he started to feel awful.

"I remember going out of the house to get the mail and I couldn't walk," says Fred. "I couldn't walk 20 or 30 feet."

Fred had significant coronary artery disease and underwent cardiac bypass surgery, but about a year ago, his symptoms came back. Doctors at Massachusetts General Hospital told him he needed stents and they offered him a brand new stenting procedure to open up a blockage in his heart.

The Absorb Stent, unlike traditional metal stents which stay in place forever, dissolves in two to three years, leaving behind an artery that stays open and functions more naturally.

Dr. Farouc Jaffer is an interventional cardiologist at Massachusetts General Hospital and Fred's doctor. "If it's not caged by metal it might have a chance to contract and have blood flow, flow more naturally," explains Dr. Jaffer. "And it is hoped that it would give us better long-term outcomes," he adds.

While metal stents work well, they can lead to inflammation and clot formation which could cause a heart attack. The Absorb Stent, made of plastic, may not only avoid some of those complications but could also help the artery grow.

"We have cases where these arteries are actually getting bigger and restorative," says Dr. Jaffer.

Fred was the first patient to receive the Absorb Stent, manufactured by Abbott, at Mass. General Hospital two months ago. He says he feels great and hopes to get back to his tennis game soon.

"It makes me feel like I've had a second chance, to be honest with you," says Fred.