Iowa City-based University of Iowa Health Care gastroenterologists have performed the first U.S. procedure using Archimedes, a newly FDA-approved biodegradable pancreatic stent.
The stent, used during endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography, helps treat patients with pancreatitis, pancreatic cancer and related conditions. Unlike traditional stents, Archimedes dissolves in about 12 days, eliminating the need for a follow-up removal procedure, according to a Dec. 17 system news release.
