Patient-specific airway stent using three-dimensional printing: a review

The primary function of an airway stent is to reestablish patency, impeding restenosis, supporting the tracheobronchial wall, or occluding fistulas. But stent-related complications are prevalent and can have devastating consequences. For this reason, stents are considered a last resort when there are no alternatives in treatment. Additionally, commercially available airway stents often poorly fit patients with complex airways, and they can cause various complications. At the end of the 20th century, three-dimensional (3D) printing technology was created. It has been transformative in healthcare and has been used in several applications. One of its first utilizations was the anatomical modeling of body structures that helps preoperative planning. In respiratory medicine, this technology has been essentially used in central airway diseases to produce 3D airway models and to create airway splints and prostheses. In the last decade, it has led to a transformation and allowed progress in personalized medicine, making patient-specific stents for individuals with complex airway problems. A patient-specific stent using 3D printing may minimize complications, improve quality of life, and reduce the need for repeated procedures. This review describes the recent advances in 3D printing technology, its use for developing airway prostheses to treat complex airway diseases, and the current evidence that supports its use.