dr. david rizig at shea medical center in scottsdale, zone, were among the first in the country to use the new stint called absorb. the stint resembles traditional metal stints and appear to be just as safe and effective. several years after the procedure. >> three to five years down the road you're going to free the vessel of this permanent cage and the vessel can actually grow and it can dilate and constrict in response to activities. >> reporter: doug taylor is no stranger to activity. the 73-year-old has run well over 100 marathons. >> after four years of running i thought i was immune to any heart problems. >> reporter: he wasn't and 80% blocked. >> mr. taylor, it looks fantastic. >> reporter: absorb may not be right for every heart patient of it's thicker than metal stints and there's been some concern about patients with very small blood vessels, but for many others cardiologists are calling absorb a significant advance in the treatment of patients with coronary artery disease. erica edwards, nbc news. >> and consider this. 850,000 patients in the u.s. are treated with in >> wow, al