Boston Scientific 2009-2010

Design of Improved Esophageal Stent with Testing and Model Validation

Fixation of stents in position in the GI tract is an ongoing issue. This may be especially true with stents that are covered with a polymer coating and those placed for benign conditions intended to be removed later. Peristalsis is considered by some to be a chief cause of migration. For example, in the esophagus, where strong peristalsis is present, esophageal stents can migrate into the stomach in as much as 20% of cases. Several approaches have been tried, though there is plenty of room for improvement. The goals of this project are to identify approaches to improving fixation or migration resistance in stents, model peristaltic forces, and compare the proposed approaches to migration resistance in the model. Approaches that allow atraumatic removal of the stent are preferred.

BoSci poster

Faculty Advisor

Jessica Townsend

Team Members

Victoria Hsiao

Jen Keene

Jillian Kiser

Michael Riccobono

Hermes Taylor-Weiner

Melissa Yu