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A shape memory stent of poly(ε-caprolactone-co-dl-lactide) copolymer for potential treatment of esophageal stenosis

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Abstract

Biodegradable polymer stent with shape memory effect is expected to be developed in the treatment of esophageal stenosis, most likely due to traditional stents having such shortages as considerable rigidity and nondegradation. A tubular stent with the inner and outer diameters of 28 and 30 mm was manufactured from biodegradable poly(ε-caprolactone-co-dl-lactide) (PCLA) copolymer consisting of ε-caprolactone and dl-lactide at a weight ratio of 10/90. A series of tests were accomplished to investigate its properties including shape memory effects (SMEs), compression property and influence of in vitro degradation of polymer matrix on its shape recovery and dilation force. Significantly, an implantation of the stent into a dog model was performed to evaluate its function for the treatment of esophageal stenosis. The deformed stent needs about 36 s to recover its initial shape in vitro in 37°C warm water. The primary animal experiment in vivo has revealed that the implanted deformed stent could be triggered by body temperature and expectedly returned to a nearly-round shape to support esophageal wall. Therefore, the biodegradable intelligent polymer stent may be great potential to displace the conventional metallic stents for the esophageal stenosis therapy.

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Acknowledgements

This work was partially supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (50773065), Sichuan Prominent Young Talent Program (08ZQ026-040) and Scientific Research Project of Sichuan Provincial Health Department (090177).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Advanced Technologies of Material, Ministry of Education, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, 610031, Sichuan, People’s Republic of China

    Xiongjun Yu, Lin Wang, Tao Gong, Wenbing Li & Shaobing Zhou

  2. Endoscopic Center, The 452nd Hospital of PLA, Chengdu, 610021, Sichuan, People’s Republic of China

    Maotao Huang, Yaling Cao, Daijin Ji, Ping Wang & Jing Wang

Authors
  1. Xiongjun Yu
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  2. Lin Wang
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  3. Maotao Huang
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  4. Tao Gong
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  5. Wenbing Li
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  6. Yaling Cao
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  9. Jing Wang
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  10. Shaobing Zhou
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Correspondence to Shaobing Zhou.

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Yu, X., Wang, L., Huang, M. et al. A shape memory stent of poly(ε-caprolactone-co-dl-lactide) copolymer for potential treatment of esophageal stenosis. J Mater Sci: Mater Med 23, 581–589 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10856-011-4475-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10856-011-4475-4

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