CURRENT USES AND FUTURE PROSPECTS OF VARIOUS STENT TYPES IN SURGICAL PRACTICE

Gradinaru Sebastian

Titu Maiorescu University, Faculty of Medicine, Bucharest, Romania

A stent is a medical device originally designed to reopen or seal off lesions that cause blockages or leaks. In digestive surgery, it plays a crucial role in reopening the gastrointestinal (GI) tract affected by tumors and in sealing leaks after surgery. Among the various materials and types used in stent production, self-expandable metallic stents (SEMS) are the most commonly used. Gastrointestinal stenting is a procedure known for its high safety and success rates, and its clinical applications have expanded beyond its initial purpose. The placement of self-expandable metal stents is the preferred non-surgical method for palliating cancers of the biliopancreatic region and the upper and lower GI tract. Additionally, stenting is now used for treating benign GI strictures, managing GI fistulas, controlling variceal bleeding, and creating GI bypasses or drainage.

In recent years, biodegradable magnesium alloy stents have gained significant attention. They theoretically solve issues related to permanent metal stents, making them a promising area for future development. We believe these stents will be widely used in interventional procedures for various diseases.

The elastic and biodegradable mixed polymer coating on magnesium alloy stents, used to create fully biodegradable stents, demonstrated its ability to slow down degradation and maintain mechanical performance over time. These coated magnesium stents show good flexibility and elasticity, providing sufficient support to resist lesion compression when deployed in vivo. 

Using customized radiation stents is advised to optimize normal tissue protection, ensure accurate radiation delivery to the correct location and depth, and enable consistent patient positioning for daily treatments. Combining biliary metallic stent (BMS) placement with radioactive iodine-125 seed strands (RISS) is a safe and effective option for treating patients with malignant hilar obstruction.