NYU's 3D-Printed Lily Stent Targets Gastric Leaks After Weight-Loss Surgery

A New Shape for an Old Problem

Gastric leaks after bariatric surgery are rare but serious. About 2,500 Americans need treatment each year for this complication. Current stents are repurposed bile-duct tubes that often slip, drain slowly, and require repeat procedures. A team at NYU Abu Dhabi and NYU Tandon School of Engineering thinks geometry is the missing piece.

Their prototype, called the Lily stent, abandons the simple tube. It uses a six-part exterior structure inspired by a flower. The design creates more efficient flow paths around the device. In benchtop tests, it cut hydraulic resistance by 32% and boosted flow rate by 30% compared to a commercial double-pigtail stent.

The PETALS Framework

The researchers built the Lily stent through PETALS, short for Personalized Endoscopic Transmural Abscess Leak Solution. Rather than tweaking materials, they mathematically optimized the outer surface geometry for the viscosity and pressure of gastric fluid.

The key insight was counterintuitive: making the tube wider did not help. The extra width shrank the gap around the outside, where most fluid actually travels. So the team focused on exterior topography instead of interior volume. That led to the lily shape with longitudinal fins.

Still a Lab Prototype

The Lily stent has only been tested in simulations and benchtop models. Animal studies are next. The researchers also note that the constant cross-section could eventually be manufactured by conventional extrusion, meaning hospitals would not need to invest in 3D printing infrastructure.

If the design survives clinical trials, the payoff is real. Faster drainage could shorten hospital stays and reduce the need for follow-up procedures. That matters for patients and for healthcare costs alike.