Researchers discover a way for children with LTS to breathe easier

Researchers have discovered that children with paediatric laryngotracheal stenosis (LTS) can breathe easier, thanks to biodegradable magnesium-alloy tracheal stent.

Doctors use a mixture of endoscopic procedures, tracheostomy, surgical repair or deployment of stents to allow ventilation by preserving airway openness, depending on the severity of LTS.

New research published in Communications Biology, led by the University of Pittsburgh, promises to expand the use of stents, showing for the first time that a fully biodegradable tracheal magnesium-alloy stent has been successfully used to prevent any threats.

The study stressed that the balloon-expandable ultra-high ductility (UHD) biodegradable magnesium stent significantly outperformed the existing metallic non-biodegradable stents during laboratory testing. The stent had low rates of deterioration and was shown to maintain the airway open over time, demonstrating natural healing and no adverse issues.

Edward R. Weidlein, Chair Professor of bioengineering at the Swanson School of Engineering, Prashant N. Kumta, stated: “Using commercial, non-biodegradable metal or silicone-based tracheal stents has a risk of severe complications and doesn’t achieve optimal clinical outcomes – even in adults. Using advanced biomaterials could offer a less invasive and more successful, treatment option. Our results are very promising for the use of this novel biodegradable, high ductility metal stent, particularly for paediatric patients. We hope this new approach leads to new and improved treatments for patients with this complex condition as well as other tracheal obstruction conditions including tracheal cancer.”