How Much Do Stents Know - Counting Those "Low key" Non Vascular Stents

When it comes to stents, the most well-known one is vascular stents (such as coronary and peripheral vascular stents). Severe stenosis of arterial blood vessels can lead to a decrease in the quality of life of patients and even threaten their lives. Therefore, stents need to be placed to restore blood flow supply. But is there only blood vessels in the narrow channels of the human body? The answer is inevitably negative. Non vascular lumens such as the esophagus, respiratory tract, biliary tract, and intestinal tract in the human body can also be narrowed due to certain reasons (tumors, anastomotic fistulas, etc.), resulting in symptoms such as difficulty eating or breathing, jaundice, etc. At this point, using non vascular stents such as esophageal, respiratory, biliary, and intestinal stents for treatment can significantly improve the patient's quality of life or lay a good foundation for elective surgery by supporting the narrow lumen

1.Esophageal stent :

Esophageal stenosis includes benign and malignant stenosis, which can lead to symptoms such as difficulty swallowing in patients. Benign stenosis is mainly caused by gastroesophageal reflux disease, surgery, radiation therapy, ablation therapy, corrosive ingestion, and drug damage, and can be treated with temporary stents (usually covered stents, removed within a month); Malignant esophageal stenosis is mainly caused by esophageal cancer, chest malignant diseases, and malignant tumor infiltration into the esophagus. Currently, the use of esophageal stents to relieve esophageal stenosis has become an important treatment method for malignant esophageal stenosis.

Scope of application of esophageal support

Suitable for the treatment of benign or malignant esophageal strictures, anastomotic strictures, and strictures after radiotherapy.

2. Respiratory stent

The respiratory tract is divided into upper and lower respiratory tracts, and airway infarction can cause symptoms such as shortness of breath and difficulty breathing. Airway stenosis refers to the narrowing of the trachea and bronchial lumens caused by various benign or malignant airway diseases. The causes of benign central airway stenosis include tracheobronchial tuberculosis, long-term tracheal intubation or tracheostomy, sarcoidosis, tracheobronchial amyloidosis, etc; Malignant stenosis is caused by primary or metastatic tumors of the trachea, carina, left and right main bronchi, and intermediate bronchi, as well as malignant tumors invading or compressing adjacent organs.

Applicable scope of respiratory stent

Suitable for dilation treatment of benign or malignant stenosis of the trachea and bronchus.

3.Biliary stent

The biliary system has the function of secreting, storing, concentrating, and transporting bile, which plays an important regulatory role in the discharge of bile into the duodenum. If there are benign or malignant lesions in the bile duct or adjacent parts of the bile duct, it will hinder the flow of bile into the duodenum through the bile duct, causing an increase in pressure in the bile duct, leading to bile reflux from liver cells and capillaries into the blood sinuses and perisinuses, causing an increase in the level of conjugated bilirubin in the blood and causing jaundice. Malignant obstructive jaundice is caused by tumors, and if the obstruction lasts too long, it can lead to damage to important organ functions. Currently, biliary stent implantation has become an important treatment method, which can reduce or eliminate jaundice, improve patients' overall condition, and improve their quality of life.

Applicable scope of biliary stent

Mainly used for the treatment of biliary stenosis.

4.Intestinal stent

The intestines are the longest ducts in the digestive organs, including the duodenum, jejunum, ileum, cecum, colon, and rectum. When intestinal stenosis or obstruction is caused by advanced malignant tumors or other malignant lesions in the abdomen, it can cause difficulty in food digestion, absorption, and defecation. The use of metal stents to permanently or temporarily support the narrowed or obstructed area of the intestinal cavity can restore patency and create conditions for elective surgery.

Scope of application of intestinal stent

Suitable for the dilation treatment of intestinal stenosis, obstruction, or anastomotic stenosis in the human body (duodenum, transverse colon, descending colon, sigmoid colon, rectum).