# Resorbable, Shape Memory Stents to Prevent Vaginal Fibrosis

> **NIH NIH R21** · UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN · 2022 · $249,269

## Abstract

RESORBABLE, SHAPE MEMORY STENTS TO PREVENT VAGINAL FIBROSIS
 Nearly 50,000 female adolescent patients undergo vaginal reconstruction each year, and approximately
73% of these patients will suffer from debilitating vaginal fibrosis following surgery. Pediatric and adolescent
gynecologic surgeons often use vaginal stents in the immediate postoperative setting to facilitate wound healing.
Unfortunately, the only available vaginal stents on the market are large, non-ergonomic designs that are poorly
tolerated in the pediatric population. Indeed, these stents only recently became available again after being
removed from production for more than 5 years. As a result, many surgeons have resorted to make-shift devices
created in the operating room. All of these options present deployment challenges, limited sizing options, and
poor retention, which frequently requires suturing of the vagina to prevent egress. There is a critical need for a
new pediatric/adolescent-specific vaginal stent with appropriate sizing that can apply constant pressure to
the boundaries of the neovagina to prevent fibrosis and maintain vaginal caliber during wound healing. Key
design features will include easy insertion with improved ergonomics, prevention of egress with Valsalva, and
ultimately prevention of fibrosis and improved vaginal healing. In addition, the development of new resorbable
vaginal stents would offer additional advantages by eliminating the need for postoperative stent removal after
wear-time is complete. In the design of a resorbable vaginal stent, it is necessary to balance mechanical
properties such that the stent maintains vaginal patency (e.g., sufficient radial strength) while avoiding adverse
biological responses, such as tissue overgrowth, and ensuring sufficient flexibility for patient comfort. Our
objective is to design a resorbable, shape-memory vaginal stent that can improve clinical outcomes and quality
of life for pediatric and adolescent patients following vaginal surgery. Our proposed design utilizes a shape-
memory foam that is biodegradable and can assume a secondary, compressed shape for ease of deployment.
Upon insertion, the change in temperature and hydration will initiate the expansion of the foam to shape fit to the
individual patient and restore the lumen of the stent to allow egress of vaginal secretions. Uniquely, this
circumvents the need for an external balloon to inflate the stent, a strategy common to current designs that
causes challenges during clinical deployment. In addition to the tunable polymer chemistry, the porous
architecture allows for multiple methods to optimize the mechanical properties, shape recovery, and resorption
kinetics. In the proposed studies, we will fabricate and test the deployment and retention of this newvaginal stent
design in a benchtop model followed by assessment in a rabbit model. A pediatric vaginal stent is long overdue
and this study is unique in its design to meet the needs of this underserved ...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10454348
- **Project number:** 5R21HD104059-02
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN
- **Principal Investigator:** Elizabeth Marie Cosgriff-Hernandez
- **Activity code:** R21 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $249,269
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2021-08-01 → 2025-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10454348

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10454348, Resorbable, Shape Memory Stents to Prevent Vaginal Fibrosis (5R21HD104059-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10454348. Licensed CC0.

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