Cardiology Associates of North MS First in the Nation!!!

Earlier this year, cardiologist Dr. Barry Bertolet and his team implanted the nation’s first bioresorbable vascular scaffold (BVS) as part of a research study at North MS Medical Center. ABSORB, the world’s first drug-eluting BVS, works by restoring blood flow to the heart similar to a metal stent, but then dissolves into the body. The result is a treated vessel that may resume a more natural function and movement because it is free of a permanent metal stent. The device is referred to as a scaffold because it is a temporary structure, unlike a stent, which is a permanent implant. The scaffold supports the vessel until the artery can stay open on its own, and then dissolves naturally. “This technology represents a true shift in the way doctors will treat patients with severe obstructive coronary artery disease,” Bertolet says. “We are excited about ABSORB because it may expand long-term diagnostic and treatment options for cardiac patients.”