OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the safety and effectiveness of novel biodegradable (BD) stents to treat bronchial anastomotic stenosis in patients after lung transplantation. METHODS: Twenty BD stents were implanted endoscopically in six patients (median age 41.5 years (range 35-57 years)) with post-transplant bronchial anastomotic stenoses, between 2006 and 2010. All stents were custom-made from bio-absorbable polydioxanone (PDS). The median stent diameter was 12 mm (8-17 mm) and median length was 20mm (12-30 mm). All patients were evaluated clinically, by bronchoscopy and high-definition computed tomography (CT). RESULTS: The stenosis was initially relieved in all cases. There was no bleeding, perforation or displacement after BD stent implantation. Four patients needed multiple stenting for anastomotic re-stenosis. Median time to any re-stenting was 5 months (2-15 months). There was one sudden death, 1 year after the last BD stent implantation, from a pulmonary embolus. All five survivors are in good clinical condition up to 4 years' follow-up (median 40 months, range 7-48 months) since first stenting and intervention-free up to 44 months (median 24 months, range 7-44 months). CONCLUSIONS: This small pilot study shows that BD stents are a safe, effective and reliable alternative to classical metallic stents in patients with anastomotic stenosis after lung transplantation, and may avoid the need for permanent stenting. Crown
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the safety and effectiveness of novel biodegradable (BD) stents to treat bronchial anastomotic stenosis in patients after lung transplantation. METHODS: Twenty BD stents were implanted endoscopically in six patients (median age 41.5 years (range 35-57 years)) with post-transplant bronchial anastomotic stenoses, between 2006 and 2010. All stents were custom-made from bio-absorbable polydioxanone (PDS). The median stent diameter was 12 mm (8-17 mm) and median length was 20mm (12-30 mm). All patients were evaluated clinically, by bronchoscopy and high-definition computed tomography (CT). RESULTS: The stenosis was initially relieved in all cases. There was no bleeding, perforation or displacement after BD stent implantation. Four patients needed multiple stenting for anastomotic re-stenosis. Median time to any re-stenting was 5 months (2-15 months). There was one sudden death, 1 year after the last BD stent implantation, from a pulmonary embolus. All five survivors are in good clinical condition up to 4 years' follow-up (median 40 months, range 7-48 months) since first stenting and intervention-free up to 44 months (median 24 months, range 7-44 months). CONCLUSIONS: This small pilot study shows that BD stents are a safe, effective and reliable alternative to classical metallic stents in patients with anastomotic stenosis after lung transplantation, and may avoid the need for permanent stenting. Crown
Authors: Giorgia Totonelli; Panagiotis Maghsoudlou; Jonathan M Fishman; Giuseppe Orlando; Tahera Ansari; Paul Sibbons; Martin A Birchall; Agostino Pierro; Simon Eaton; Paolo De Coppi Journal: World J Gastroenterol Date: 2012-12-21 Impact factor: 5.742
Authors: Jane Wang; Kyle G Boutin; Omar Abdulhadi; Lyndia D Personnat; Tarek Shazly; Robert Langer; Colleen L Channick; Jeffrey T Borenstein Journal: Adv Healthc Mater Date: 2013-03-25 Impact factor: 9.933
Authors: Martin J Elliott; Paolo De Coppi; Simone Speggiorin; Derek Roebuck; Colin R Butler; Edward Samuel; Claire Crowley; Clare McLaren; Anja Fierens; David Vondrys; Lesley Cochrane; Christopher Jephson; Samuel Janes; Nicholas J Beaumont; Tristan Cogan; Augustinus Bader; Alexander M Seifalian; J Justin Hsuan; Mark W Lowdell; Martin A Birchall Journal: Lancet Date: 2012-07-26 Impact factor: 79.321