Researchers from Northwestern University have developed a 3D-printed vascular stent that can be personalized to the patient, the school reported this week.
The stents are made of a biodegradable, citric acid-based polymer that researchers could load with drugs to release slowly as the blood vessel wall heals.
“Right now, the vast majority of stents are made from a metal and have off-the-shelf availability in various sizes,” lead researcher Guillermo Ameer said in prepared remarks. “The physician has to guess which stent size is a good fit to keep the blood vessel open. But we’re all different and results are highly dependent on physician experience, so that’s not an optimal solution.”
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