A new 3D printed stent developed at New York University (NYU) does not look like the devices doctors typically use today. Instead of a simple tube, the prototype resembles a lily flower. Researchers believe the design could improve drainage and help patients recover faster from gastric leaks, a serious complication that can occur after weight-loss surgery. The team says the shape allows fluids to move more efficiently than with conventional stents, highlighting how 3D printing can enable entirely new medical device designs.
Of course, the “Lily” stent is still in the laboratory stage. Unveiled in June 2026, the NYU project is years away from commercialization. Still, it points to a larger trend gaining momentum across the medical tech industry. For several years, researchers, startups, and medical device companies have been looking at whether 3D printing can open the door to new types of stents.
AM to rethink what a stent can be.