Researchers at NYU Abu Dhabi have developed BRIDGE (Biodegradable aRchitected Internal DrainaGE), a biodegradable, 3D-printed gastric stent that could improve treatment for gastric leaks, a serious complication following weight-loss surgery. By combining an advanced internal lattice design with biodegradable materials, the new device more than doubles drainage performance while potentially eliminating the need for a second procedure to remove the stent after healing.
Published in Device, the study builds on the team's previously reported flower-inspired gastric stent by redesigning the device from the inside out. Rather than changing its overall shape, the researchers engineered its internal architecture to make it more flexible, resistant to kinking, and better at draining fluid, while introducing a biodegradable material that safely breaks down after treatment.
Although gastric leaks occur in only a small percentage of bariatric surgeries, they can lead to infection, prolonged hospitalization, and repeated medical interventions. Current drainage stents were originally designed for use in the bile ducts rather than the stomach and must be removed once healing is complete, adding another procedure for patients.
Using advanced 3D printing, the research team engineered a highly structured internal lattice that improves both flexibility and fluid flow. Laboratory testing showed the new design achieved up to twice the drainage performance of conventional stents while withstanding bends more than seven times tighter without kinking, helping maintain effective drainage even in complex anatomy.
"Medical devices are often adapted from other applications rather than designed for the specific clinical challenge they are intended to address. By combining advanced 3D printing with biodegradable materials, we created a stent that improves drainage while reducing the burden of treatment for patients."
Although additional preclinical and clinical studies are needed before the technology can be used in patients, the researchers believe the same engineering approach could be applied to a broad range of minimally invasive drainage devices used throughout the body.
