Fig. 5: Alcian blue staining of stented rabbit trachea.

A LZ61-KBMS stent stented trachea. (i) 4 weeks, (ii) 8 weeks and (iii) 12-weeks post implantation, B 316L SS stent stented trachea (i) 4 weeks, (ii) 8 weeks and (iii) 12-weeks post implantation, C Healthy trachea, D number of goblet cells per 1 mm along the epithelium. No statistical difference was identified among the different groups (P > 0.05).