3D Printed tracheobronchial stents: personalized medicine in silicone

The large arsenal of commercially available airway stents covers most situations of malignant and non-malignant central airway stenoses. Airway stents are however associated with a high rate of complications like migration and granulation tissue reaction that are often due to a lack of congruence of the stent with the patient’s airways. Patient-specific stents using 3D printing have been developed in the past decade to improve patient’s tolerance and the safety profile. We herein review the existing literature regarding these customized devices, ongoing research, discuss their potential indications and the next steps towards a transition into routine.