Inception of the coronary stent: a story of successful collaboration between innovative scientists and the biotechnology industry

Abstract

ABSTRACT All cardiologists should delve into history to understand the current state of the art of their specialty. In the last century, the coronary stent was a pivotal achievement of research and biotechnological engineering. Since then, technology has advanced, and substantial improvements have been incorporated into this device, which has become the gold standard for treating coronary artery disease. This article summarizes the history of the coronary stent from its inception to the present day. The document reviews key historical and scientific milestones that have contributed to making percutaneous angioplasty a safe and highly effective procedure due to coronary stents. The evolution of the stent has been closely linked to the growth and maturation of interventional cardiology to date.

Keywords

• Stent
• Drug-eluting stent
• Percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty