Bryan Heart Introduces New Approach to Make Heart Stents Safer for Patients

Lincoln, NE - Doctors at Bryan Heart are the first in Nebraska to implant Absorb, a fully dissolvable heart stent that is safer for patients and restores and expands blood flow to clogged coronary arteries.

“Heart disease is the number one killer in the United States, with over half a million Americans losing their life to this condition every year," said Dr. Scott Coatsworth, cardiologist at Bryan Heart and the first physician in Nebraska to implant the Absorb stent. “This new, bio absorbable stent is proven technology that will provide better results and safer long-term outcomes to our patients. We're privileged to offer this type of advanced heart care to the people of Nebraska and the region.

The Absorb stent features several advancements over traditional stents that can help improve patient outcomes:

• With Absorb, the traditional, permanent metal stent is replaced with a plastic, temporary material that is fully absorbed in the body, eliminating foreign material in the artery that can irritate vessels, lead to infection or future heart problems.
• Once the stent is placed, it begins to dissolve within one year and is fully absorbed by the artery within two to three years, after it has promoted a healthy healing of the vessel.
• After the stent is absorbed, the blood vessels in the heart move and expand the flow of blood while slowly releasing medicine to limit the growth of scar tissue.
• Four small platinum markers remain embedded in the walls of the artery to help cardiologists identify where the stent was placed and monitor its progress.

The Absorb stent is the latest generation of stenting technology and offers major advances in the treatment of heart disease, which affects 15 million people in the United States every year. It was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in March of 2016 and has been placed in over 1,500 people across the country.

Our goal is to provide the best possible care to our patients that will allow them to return to their normal, active lifestyles,” said Coatsworth. The Absorb stent provides a game-changing approach to treat individuals with blocked coronary arteries.

Bryan Heart provides expert care to restore, maintain and improve the lives of people through the region. To learn more, visit www.bryanheart.com.