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Anti-migration enhanced tracheal stent design, rapid manufacturing and experimental tests

Antonio Fiorentino (Dept. of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy)
Cesare Piazza (Dept. of Otorhinolaryngology, School of medicine, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy)
Elisabetta Ceretti (Dept. of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy)

Rapid Prototyping Journal

ISSN: 1355-2546

Publication date: 18 January 2016

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to focus on tracheal stent production with the aim of investigating the available devices and improving their performances. The biomedical field is a continuously growing area of the market always in search of the most innovative and competitive solutions for healthcare. Beside the actual critical period of the world economy, it shows continuous improvements in research and innovation.

Design/methodology/approach

Within a market analysis and the collaboration between engineering and biomedical research fields, it was outlined a new product concept able to satisfy the patient’s and physician’s requirements with the focus on the enhancement of the stent anchorage. As a result, the concept of a custom- or tailor-made stent was identified as a potential solution. Moreover, additive technologies were identified as the economically sustainable processes for manufacturing these innovative stents. In the present paper, different types of stents were derived from the proposed concept, they were designed, manufactured and their anchorage capability was tested. In particular, the procedures adopted for their design are described and discussed. Moreover, silicone fused deposition modelling was adopted and two types of deposition method, namely, layer-by-layer and continuous, were used to manufacture the devices identifying their pro, cons and limits. Finally, the stents were tested against migration and results were compared with one of the most widely used today.

Findings

The results show how additive manufacturing allowed to manufacture more efficient and migration resistant stents.

Originality/value

It is expected that this new stent design will reduce the risk of complications in stenting, as granulation, thanks to a more uniform stress distribution on the trachea tissues. These improved characteristics will allow to enhance the quality of both the product and the patient’s healthcare.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

The Authors want to thank Dr P. Foccoli of Ospedali Civili di Brescia for his support and Unversity of Girona for kindly providing their contribution on the Fab@Home machine. The present research was possible thanks to IREBID project founded by FP7 – Marie Curie Actions – IRSES European founds.

Citation

Fiorentino, A., Piazza, C. and Ceretti, E. (2016), "Anti-migration enhanced tracheal stent design, rapid manufacturing and experimental tests", Rapid Prototyping Journal, Vol. 22 No. 1, pp. 178-188. https://doi.org/10.1108/RPJ-06-2014-0072

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Publisher

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Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2016, Emerald Group Publishing Limited

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