A Review of Recent Patents on Structures Related to Tracheal Stents

Background: The trachea is an important part of the respiratory system. Long-term airway diseases and the effects of human physiological conditions can cause trachea stenosis. This will seriously affect patients’ physical health. Tracheal stents can provide durable support by means of dilating the narrowed area; they can effectively relieve the patient's breathing difficulties, which is of value that is more practical. Objective: To meet the vital requirements for better adaptation to the human airway environment and prevent complications associated with stent placement, the construction and materials of tracheal stents have been improved constantly. Methods: This paper investigates various representative patents related to the tracheal stent. The structure type, placement method and applications situation of these tracheal stents are discussed. Results: The characteristics of different types of tracheal stents are analyzed. This paper analyzes the main problems in its development. The solutions to the issues and the current and future research on tracheal stents are discussed. Conclusion: The tracheal stents are classified into metal stent, silicone stent, biodegradable stent and hybrid material stent. Further improvements are needed in the aspects of structural design, safety, applicability, biocompatibility, algorithm of drive model of tracheal stent. More related patents about tracheal stents need to be developed.