Fig. 3: In vivo implantation of LZ61-KBMS stents in a healthy rabbit tracheal model. | Communications Biology

Fig. 3: In vivo implantation of LZ61-KBMS stents in a healthy rabbit tracheal model.

From: In-vivo efficacy of biodegradable ultrahigh ductility Mg-Li-Zn alloy tracheal stents for pediatric airway obstruction

Fig. 3

A The surgical procedure of the stent placement. (i) Tracheal stent was mounted on the balloon. (ii) The balloon was injected with saline and expanded the tracheal stent against the tracheal wall. (iii) The balloon was deflated and pulled out of the trachea leaving the stent inside the tracheal lumen. B X-ray image of the implantation site of the (i) 316L SS stent and (ii) LZ61-KBMS stent after the tracheal stent implantation. The positions of the stents are circled in the images. LZ61-KBMS stent is hard to identify here under the X-ray due to the lower density. A dark shadow is only visible here. C Endoscopic images of the stented airway right after implantation, and after 4, 8, and 12 weeks of implantation. D OCT images of the cross-section of the stented airway at 4, 8, and 12 weeks after implantation. E Tracheal lumen area calculated based on the cross-section of OCT images at 4, 8, and 12 weeks. **denotes a significant difference between alloy groups (p < 0.01, n = 3). F The 3D structure of 316L SS stents and LZ61-KBMS stents based on µCT scan at different time point indicating the remaining stents after implantation in vivo.

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