Stent Types for
Laryngeal Paralysis in Dogs

There are two currently two main types of stents for laryngeal paralysis in dogs: the silicone stent and the Nitinol stent.

Dumon Silicone Stent

Currently, the most common type of silicone stent for laryngeal paralysis is the Dumon stent. First developed in the late 1980s, the Dumon stent is a tubular prothesis with studs on the exterior wall to anchor the prothesis in the tissue of the airway. Dumon and similar stent silicone stent designs were the only airway prothesis available until the early 2000s when self-expanding metal stents (SEMS) using Nitinol were developed for airway use. However, the FDA has recently issued warnings for human use of Nitinol stents, which is sure to have repercussions for veterinary applications.

Nitinol Stent

For canine laryngeal paralysis, only one Nitinol stenting product has been developed, and as of June 2023 it is not yet available on the market — the Dextronix DexStent LN. While other Nitinol airway stents are a tubular mesh, this product is double-loop of Nitinol wire. The only information available about it is on the Dextronix website and to date no research data about the product has been publicly released. According to our contacts, the product is scheduled to be released and marketed to veterinarians starting in July 2023.