Microinjection Molded Biopolymeric Airway Stent with Antibacterial and Anti-Hyperplastic Properties

Central airway stenosis is a condition that the diameter of the trachea or main bronchus shrinkage is caused by external compression or internal tissue hyperplasia, which can cause difficulty breathing, asphyxia, and even death. Airway stenting is an easy way to restore the patency of the central airway, but airway stents commonly used in clinical practice can lead to complications such as mucus plugging, bacterial infection, and granulation tissue hyperplasia. Moreover, the non-degradable characteristic makes it requires a second operation to remove, which has the potential to cause tissue damage. In this study, a biodegradable airway stent is fabricated by microinjection molding using the bioelastomer of poly (L-lactide-co-ε-caprolactone) as the matrix material. The airway stent has excellent mechanical properties and an appropriate degradation rate. The hydrophilic surface of the airway stent can inhibit mucus plugging. The loading of silver nanoparticles and cisplatin endows the stent with antibacterial and anti-hyperplastic functions. In vitro and in vivo experiments demonstrate that this study provides an antibacterial and anti-hyperplastic biodegradable airway stent with elastic properties to avoid secondary removal operation and reduce complications associated with mucus plugging, bacterial infection, and granulation tissue hyperplasia.