PURPOSE: The biodegradable PLGA (a copolymer of L-lactide and glycolide) urethral stent with a spiral configuration has been used clinically for the prevention of postoperative urinary retention after different types of thermal therapy for benign prostatic hyperplasia. A new braiding pattern for this stent has recently been developed by our group. The aim here was to investigate the in situ degradation and biocompatibility of the new braided stent in the rabbit urethra. MATERIALS AND METHODS: PLGA stents with a one-over-one braiding pattern and steel stents served as controls that were inserted into the posterior urethras of 24 male rabbits using a special delivery instrument. The animals were sacrificed after 1 week, 1 month, 2 months, or 4 months, and light microscopy and histologic analyses were performed. RESULTS: The delivery instrument worked well and cystoscopy was not needed in the insertion process. The braided PLGA stents degraded smoothly in 1 to 2 months. The metallic stents induced more epithelial hyperplasia and epithelial changes than the biodegradable stents at all time points analyzed. These differences increased during follow-up. CONCLUSION: The degradation process was well controlled and the biodegradable stents were more biocompatible than the metallic stents. The new stent can be inserted into the posterior urethra without cystoscopic aid.
PURPOSE: The biodegradable PLGA (a copolymer of L-lactide and glycolide) urethral stent with a spiral configuration has been used clinically for the prevention of postoperative urinary retention after different types of thermal therapy for benign prostatic hyperplasia. A new braiding pattern for this stent has recently been developed by our group. The aim here was to investigate the in situ degradation and biocompatibility of the new braided stent in the rabbit urethra. MATERIALS AND METHODS: PLGA stents with a one-over-one braiding pattern and steel stents served as controls that were inserted into the posterior urethras of 24 male rabbits using a special delivery instrument. The animals were sacrificed after 1 week, 1 month, 2 months, or 4 months, and light microscopy and histologic analyses were performed. RESULTS: The delivery instrument worked well and cystoscopy was not needed in the insertion process. The braided PLGA stents degraded smoothly in 1 to 2 months. The metallic stents induced more epithelial hyperplasia and epithelial changes than the biodegradable stents at all time points analyzed. These differences increased during follow-up. CONCLUSION: The degradation process was well controlled and the biodegradable stents were more biocompatible than the metallic stents. The new stent can be inserted into the posterior urethra without cystoscopic aid.
Authors: Noor Buchholz; Alberto Budia; Julia de la Cruz; Wolfgang Kram; Owen Humphreys; Meital Reches; Raquel Valero Boix; Federico Soria Journal: Polymers (Basel) Date: 2022-04-19 Impact factor: 4.967
Authors: Jae Hyun Bae; Yong Hwan Kwon; Ye Chan Jung; Ji Mo Jung; Hae Beom Lee; Ki Chang Lee; Nam Soo Kim; Min-Su Kim Journal: J Vet Med Sci Date: 2013-05-14 Impact factor: 1.267