Comprehensive review of materials, applications, and future innovations in biodegradable esophageal stents

作者：Yaochen Yang, Yuanyuan Yang, Zhipeng Hou, Tingting Wang, Peng Wu, Lufan Shen, Peng Li, Kai Zhang, Liqun Yang, Siyu Sun · 发表于：Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology · 年份：2023 · DOI：10.3389/fbioe.2023.1327517 · 被引用次数：22 · 研究领域：Esophageal and GI Pathology、Magnesium Alloys: Properties and Applications、Tracheal and airway disorders

Esophageal stricture (ES) results from benign and malignant conditions, such as uncontrolled gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and esophageal neoplasms. Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy is the preferred diagnostic approach for ES and its underlying causes. Stent insertion using an endoscope is a prevalent method for alleviating or treating ES. Nevertheless, the widely used self-expandable metal stents (SEMS) and self-expandable plastic stents (SEPS) can result in complications such as migration and restenosis. Furthermore, they necessitate secondary extraction in cases of benign esophageal stricture (BES), rendering them unsatisfactory for clinical requirements. Over the past 3 decades, significant attention has been devoted to biodegradable materials, including synthetic polyester polymers and magnesium-based alloys, owing to their exceptional biocompatibility and biodegradability while addressing the challenges associated with recurring procedures after BES resolves. Novel esophageal stents have been developed and are undergoing experimental and clinical trials. Drug-eluting stents (DES) with drug-loading and drug-releasing capabilities are currently a research focal point, offering more efficient and precise ES treatments. Functional innovations have been investigated to optimize stent performance, including unidirectional drug-release and anti-migration features. Emerging manufacturing technologies such as three-dimensional (3D) printing and new biodegradable materia...