Mechanical performance and healing patterns of the novel sirolimus-eluting bioresorbable Fantom scaffold: 6-month and 9-month follow-up by optical coherence tomography in the FANTOM II study.

OBJECTIVES

We aimed to evaluate the mechanical properties and healing patterns 6 and 9 months after implantation of the sirolimus-eluting Fantom bioresorbable scaffold (BRS).

BACKGROUND

The Fantom BRS (Reva Medical, San Diego, USA) has differentiating properties including radiopacity, strut thickness of 125 µm, high expansion capacity and has demonstrated favourable mid-term clinical and angiographic outcomes.

METHODS AND RESULTS

FANTOM II was a prospective, single arm study with implantation of the Fantom BRS in 240 patients with stable angina pectoris. Guidance by optical coherence tomography (OCT) was encouraged and was repeated at 6-month (cohort A) or 9-month follow-up (cohort B). Matched baseline and follow-up OCT recordings were available in 152 patients. In-scaffold mean lumen area in cohort A was 6.8±1.7 mm and 5.7±1.4 mm at baseline and follow-up (p<0.0001) and was 7.2±1.6 mm and 5.6±1.4 mm in cohort B (p<0.0001). Mean scaffold area remained stable from 7.1±1.5 mm at baseline to 7.2±1.4 mm at 6 months (p=0.12), and from 7.4±1.5 mm to 7.3±1.4 mm at 9 months. Strut malapposition was median 0.8 (IQR 0.0;3.5)% and 1.8 (IQR 0.3;6.0)% at baseline and was 0.0 (IQR 0.0;0.0)% in both groups at 6-month and 9-month follow-up. Strut tissue coverage was 98.1 (IQR 95.9;99.4)% at 6 months and 98.9 (IQR 98.3;100.0)% at 9 months.

CONCLUSIONS

The novel Fantom BRS had favourable healing patterns at 6-month and 9-month follow-up as malapposition was effectively resolved and strut coverage was almost complete. The scaffold remained stable through follow-up with no signs of systematic late recoil.