Current designs of self-expanding stents

Abstract

A large variety of stent designs exist for the GI tract. Some are purpose-built devices; others are modified vascular stents. The main requirement for a GI stent is the ability to conform to tortuous anatomy while maintaining an adequate lumen through the stenosis. The application of nitinol has improved stent designs significantly, and alternative materials such as plastic and biodegradable polymers have widened the indications for stenting. This is important as surgical advances, particularly in organ transplantation and improved cancer treatments, increase the need for long-term patency with improved patient survival and increasing benign indications for stent insertion. This chapter illustrates the current stent technology for application in the GI tract.