Coronary artery disease (CAD), a manifestation of atherosclerosis of the coronary arteries, belongs to the most prevalent diseases and is the leading cause of death in Austria.

Different revascularisation techniques have been developed to restore blood flow. The most recent developments in stent technology are fully bioresorbable vascular scaffolds (BVS), designed to slowly disintegrate over time. To date, two products (ABSORB®, DESolve®) have received a CE-mark.

The current evidence is not sufficient to prove that the BVS is more, or at least equally effective and safer than current revascularisation technologies. Therefore, the inclusion in the Austrian catalogue of benefits is currently not recommended. We suggest a re-evaluation in 2018.