Cardiology (see more articles like this)

The Food and Drug Administration has approved a new device that will offer another option for patients needing a bypass surgery.

The new Johnson & Johnson Cypher stent emits a drug to help keep unblocked arteries from reclogging; and Florida Hospital is one of the first hospitals in the country to use the newly approved stents. While the stents are not widely available until May 5, 2003 Florida Hospital has received a small advance supply that it will begin using today.

This drug-eluting stent is a small, spring-like metal device that is coated with the drug sirolimus and a polymer that controls the timed release of the drug inside the vessel.  The combination prevents scar tissue growth, which frequently leads to restenosis or reblockage.  In studies, the Cypher Stent has been shown to reduce the incidence of reblockage by more than 90% compared with a traditional bare metal stent.