A highly flexible paclitaxel-loaded poly(ε-caprolactone) electrospun fibrous-membrane-covered stent for benign cardia stricture

In benign esophageal strictures, inflammation reaction and tissue hyperplasia after stent placement greatly limit the stent retention time and affect subsequent scar formation, which is one of the main influences on long-term recurrence rate. A newly developed biodegradable electrospun drug-fiber-coated stent (DFCS) was fabricated to inhibit inflammation and scar formation. The electrospun paclitaxel/poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) fibers integrally covered the bare stent using the rotating collection method. The paclitaxel entrapment did not significantly affect the physical properties of electrospun PCL fibrous membranes. The mechanical results demonstrated that electrospun fibers containing paclitaxel covering the stent maintained the original mechanical characteristics of the stent, and no membrane tearing or ablation was observed after hundreds of repeated compressions. Paclitaxel release profiles were controlled mainly via diffusion of drug through the drug content, and stable release of paclitaxel continued up to 32 days at pH 4.0. Higher inhibition of smooth muscle cell proliferation rates was observed on fibrous membranes with higher paclitaxel content. DFCS showed a significant decrease in tissue inflammation and collagen fiber proliferation, and was easily removed from the esophageal part, which had almost no damage to the tissues in the dog model. Therefore, DFCSs may have great potential to markedly attenuate stent-induced inflammation and scar formation in esophageal stenosis therapy.