Are all surgical balloon stents metallic?
Question:
http://www.endovasc.com/images/graphics/...
thats a stent^
Answers:
All balloon expandable stents currently in regular use are metallic. Depending on what the stent is used for, some are sheathed in synthetic fabric material (such as Gore-Tex) and some are impregnanted with drugs (such as sirolimus or paclitaxel). The metal used can vary as well and may be stainless steel, cobalt-chromium, or titanium, among others.
You may be alluding to the bioabsorbable stents that are in development. These are intended to "dissolve" over time so as not to leave a rigid structure behind. While some of these are metal (iron or magnesium) alloys as well, many are made of synthetic polymers. Unfortunately, none of these are yet ready for "prime time".
Hope that's helpful!
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