Experimental evaluation of self-expandable metallic tracheobronchial stents

Authors

• Yanli Wang, University of Nebraska - Lincoln
• Pengfei Dong, University of Nebraska - Lincoln
• Jingyao Ke, University of Nebraska - Lincoln
• Xiang Shen, Jiangsu University
• Zongming Li, Zhengzhou University
• Kewei Ren, Zhengzhou University
• Xinwei Han, Zhengzhou University
• Linxia Gu, University of Nebraska - Lincoln

Document Type

Article

Date of this Version

8-20-2019

Citation

Wang, Yanli, Dong, Pengfei, Ke, Jingyao, Shen, Xiang, Li, Zongming, Ren, Kewei, Han, Xinwei and Gu, Linxia. "Experimental evaluation of self-expandable metallic tracheobronchial stents" Nanotechnology Reviews, vol. 8, no. 1, 2019, pp. 136-142. https://doi.org/10.1515/ntrev-2019-0013

Comments

CC-BY

Abstract

The self-expandable metallic stents have been widely used in tracheobronchial obstruction or fistulation, including the J-shaped and Y-shaped stents, named after the shape of the branch-stem junction of the stent. However, there is scarce data on the mechanical performance of these tracheobronchial stents, which is essential for optimal stent implantation. In this work, eight self-expandable metallic tracheobronchial stents in three types (i.e., straight, J-shaped, and Y-shaped), with or without cover, were characterized. The compression resistance of the stems was investigated through both compression and indentation tests. The bending resistance of the branches in the J-shaped and Y-shaped stents was assessed through the bending test. Our results demonstrated that the covered stents exhibited a significantly higher compression resistance and bending resistance than the uncovered ones. The branches had a minimal impact on the compression resistance of the stem. The branch of the J-shaped stent showed a significantly lower bending resistance than the Y shaped one. This work provides a testing framework for the J-shaped and Y-shaped stents, which could shed some light on the optimal design of stent with branches.