A Review of Magnesium Alloys for use in Biodegradable Cardiovascular Stents

Metallic stents can be permanent or biodegradable. Permanent stents made from inert metals have several disadvantages for long-term applications and need to be removed after the vessels heal. Therefore, biodegradable stents, including stents made from biodegradable metals, have been used for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases. Ideally, implanted stents can maintain their mechanical integrity during the healing of the vessel wall and then dissolve after healing. The mechanical strength and properties of magnesium are suitable for biodegradable implants, especially for stent application. Magnesium is biocompatible because it is essential for several biological reactions and as a co-factor for enzymes. However, magnesium also has a disadvantage; its degradation is accelerated in chloride-abundant environmentssuch ashuman body fluid. Therefore, magnesium must be modified to improve its corrosion resistance. This paper addresses the potential of a magnesium alloy as a cardiovascular stent material by discussing its corrosion resistance behavior.