Memorial Medical Center implants drug-eluting stent that promotes faster healing, reduces long-term risks

[October 22, 2015]  SPRINGFIELD – Memorial Medical Center is the first hospital in central Illinois to implant a drug-eluting heart stent that promotes faster healing for patients and reduces the risk of long-term complications from previous stents.

The first stent was implanted Oct. 16 at the nonprofit hospital. This new version of a drug-eluting stent uses an absorbable polymer that dissolves after the drug is released. The Synergy stent from Boston Scientific was approved by the Food and Drug Administration last month.

“Bringing the most advanced medical technologies to our community directly supports Memorial’s vision to be a national leader in patient care,” said Mitch Rogers, cardiovascular administrator at Memorial Medical Center. “Early adoption of the Synergy stent, which is the first and only absorbable polymer drug-eluting stent in the nation, reinforces our commitment to deliver advanced treatment to the people and communities we serve.”

Stents are small scaffolding-like tubes designed to keep a clogged artery open after insertion. A drug-eluting stent has a polymer coating that releases a drug over time to prevent the blockage from returning. In earlier stents, the polymer remains on the mesh stent after the drug has dissolved. Long-term exposure to polymer can cause inflammation, which delays healing in the artery.

With this new stent, the polymer is absorbed into the body after the drug is released, which reduces the risk of complications from long-term exposure to polymer and promotes faster healing for patients, Rogers said.

[Michael Leather, Memorial Health Systems]