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Updated: May 7, 2026
Fabrication of Small Caliber Stent-grafts Using Electrospinning and Balloon Expandable Bare Metal Stents
Published on: October 26, 2016
Materials and manufacturing technologies available for production of a pediatric bioabsorbable stent
1Mattel Children's Hospital, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
Insights
Bioabsorbable stents offer a promising solution for children with congenital heart disease, potentially eliminating the need for repeat surgeries. These innovative devices aim to address the limitations of current metal stents in growing pediatric patients.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Science
- Pediatric Cardiology
- Medical Device Engineering
Background:
- Current transcatheter treatments for pediatric congenital heart disease (e.g., coarctation of the aorta, pulmonary artery stenosis) utilize metal stents.
- Metal stents provide short-term efficacy but lead to long-term complications in growing children, including outgrowing the stent, requiring further interventions, and eventual surgical removal.
- A bioabsorbable stent that degrades over time would overcome these limitations, allowing for natural vessel growth.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the potential of bioabsorbable stents for treating pediatric congenital heart disease.
- To identify the necessary characteristics of bioabsorbable stents suitable for pediatric cardiovascular applications.
- To leverage advancements in bioabsorbable materials and production techniques for pediatric use.
Main Methods:
- Review of current bioabsorbable stent development, primarily for coronary arteries.
- Analysis of material properties (bioabsorbable polymers, biocorrodable metals) and production techniques.
- Identification of specific requirements for pediatric cardiovascular stents: low profile, expandability to 8 mm, adequate radial strength, and appropriate absorption rate.
Main Results:
- Existing bioabsorbable stents for coronary arteries are too small for pediatric congenital heart disease applications.
- Key requirements for pediatric bioabsorbable stents include low profile, significant expandability, sufficient radial strength, and rapid absorption.
- Understanding gained from coronary stent development is transferable to pediatric applications.
Conclusions:
- Bioabsorbable and biocorrodable materials offer a viable alternative to permanent metal stents in pediatric congenital heart disease.
- Further development is needed to create bioabsorbable stents meeting the specific size and performance requirements for pediatric cardiovascular interventions.
- Children with congenital heart disease may soon benefit from advanced bioabsorbable stent technology.
Abstract:
Transcatheter treatment of children with congenital heart disease such as coarctation of the aorta and pulmonary artery stenosis currently involves the use of metal stents. While these provide good short term results, there are long term complications with their use. Children outgrow metal stents, obligating them to future transcatheter dilations and eventual surgical removal. A bioabsorbable stent, or a stent that goes away with time, would solve this problem. Bioabsorbable stents are being developed for use in coronary arteries, however these are too small for use in pediatric congenital heart disease. A bioabsorbable stent for use in pediatric congenital heart disease needs to be low profile, expandable to a diameter 8 mm, provide sufficient radial strength, and absorb quickly enough to allow vessel growth. Development of absorbable coronary stents has led to a great understanding of the available production techniques and materials such as bioabsorbable polymers and biocorrodable metals. Children with congenital heart disease will hopefully soon benefit from the current generation of bioabsorbable and biocorrodable materials and devices.
