Background and purpose: Recently, biodegradable pancreatic stents have been designed and placed in vivo and in vitro. The aim of this study is to investigate the feasibility of endoscopic stenting using the novel, braided, self-expandable, biodegradable, pancreatic and biliary stent in a pig model.
Methods: A braided, self-expandable, biodegradable stent was endoscopically placed into the pancreatic duct and bile duct in 4 pigs. Eventually, necropsy was performed to evaluate the stent placement after the procedure.
Results: Pancreatic and biliary stents were successfully inserted and easily deployed across the papilla into the main pancreatic duct and bile duct, respectively, in all the animals under endoscopic and fluoroscopic guidance. Necropsy performed immediate following stent placement, found that stents had been placed across the papilla and stent expansion had occurred in all cases.
Conclusions: Although this stent is not radiopaque and the number of cases was small in this experimental study, endoscopic stenting using this novel, braided, self-expandable, biodegradable, pancreatic and biliary stent was feasible in the pig model. Further animal studies to evaluate the short-term patency, tissue reactivity and degradability of the stents are warranted.