Wirelessly powered deformable electronic stent for noninvasive electrical stimulation of lower esophageal sphincter

Electrical stimulation is a promising method to modulate gastrointestinal disorders. However, conventional stimulators need invasive implantation and removal surgeries associated with risks of infection and secondary injuries. Here, we report a battery-free and deformable electronic esophageal stent for wireless stimulation of the lower esophageal sphincter in a noninvasive fashion. The stent consists of an elastic receiver antenna infilled with liquid metal (eutectic gallium-indium), a superelastic nitinol stent skeleton, and a stretchable pulse gen-erator that jointly enables 150% axial elongation and 50% radial compression for transoral delivery through the narrow esophagus. The compliant stent adaptive to the dynamic environment of the esophagus can wirelessly harvest energy through deep tissue. Continuous electrical stimulations delivered by the stent in vivo using pig models significantly increase the pressure of the lower esophageal sphincter. The electronic stent provides a noninvasive platform for bioelectronic therapies in the gastrointestinal tract without the need for open surgery.

Automated summary

This article reports a battery-free and deformable electronic esophageal stent for wireless stimulation of the lower esophageal sphincter without the need for open surgery. The stent is capable of adapting to the dynamic environment of the esophagus and wirelessly harvesting energy through deep tissue. In vivo experiments using pig models demonstrated that continuous electrical stimulations delivered by the stent significantly increased the pressure of the lower esophageal sphincter.