Lattestent

Lattestent is a term sometimes used in discussions of medical implants to describe stent devices designed with a lattice-like framework. The idea centers on an open-cell geometry that provides structural support to a vessel or duct while preserving lumen patency and allowing tissue ingrowth patterns that can influence healing.

Lattestents are typically engineered from biocompatible metals such as nitinol (nickel-titanium), stainless steel, or cobalt-chromium alloys, or from biodegradable polymers. The lattice can be produced by laser cutting a tubular stock or through additive manufacturing to realize complex three-dimensional networks. Surface modifications and drug-eluting coatings may be applied to modulate healing and reduce restenosis.

While conventional stents are widely used in vascular medicine, lattice-based designs are explored across vascular, biliary, ureteral, and airway contexts. The lattice architecture aims to balance radial strength with flexibility, enabling navigation through tortuous anatomy and conforming to irregular vessel walls.

Potential advantages include enhanced flexibility, conformability, reduced stress on the vessel wall, and opportunities for optimized drug delivery. Limitations include mechanical fatigue risk in dynamic regions, potential for fracture at hinge points, imaging artifacts, and higher manufacturing cost. Clinical evidence for superior outcomes remains limited in many settings.

In the literature, lattestent is not yet a standard category in regulatory or clinical practice. The term often describes lattice-based stent concepts in research articles, prototypes, or product development pipelines rather than widely marketed, approved devices.