Gianturco-Rösch Z stents in tracheobronchial stenoses.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate expandable metallic Gianturco-Rösch Z (GRZ) stents for treatment of benign and malignant tracheobronchial stenoses.


METHODS
Six patients, ages 45-73 years, were treated for severe dyspnea with placement of GRZ stents. Three patients had benign tracheal lesions (one tracheomalacia, two postoperative) and received uncovered GRZ stents. Three patients had malignant stenoses at the level of the carina; one received an uncovered stent and the other two received silicone-covered GRZ stents.


RESULTS
Two patients with benign lesions responded well to stent placement. One was asymptomatic for a year and then was lost to follow-up; the other improved substantially but died of end-stage lung disease 5 months after stent placement. A third patient with a benign high tracheal lesion did poorly; symptoms recurred secondary to inferior migration of a stent, which was removed surgically at 4 months. All patients with malignant lesions improved symptomatically after stent placement and remained without significant dyspnea until death (from 1 to 6 months).


CONCLUSIONS
Expandable GRZ stents are promising devices for treatment of benign lesions and offer effective palliation of malignant tracheobronchial stenoses.
Petersen
B D
BD
Dotter Interventional Institute, Oregon Health Sciences University, Portland 97201-3098, USA.
Uchida
B T
BT
Barton
R E
RE
Keller
F S
FS
Rösch
J
J
D000368:Aged; D001982:Bronchial Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D001984:Bronchial Neoplasms / Q000150:complications; D003251:Constriction, Pathologic / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D004417:Dyspnea / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D004867:Equipment Design; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005548:Foreign-Body Migration / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010166:Palliative Care; D012008:Recurrence; D012828:Silicones; D015607:Stents / Q000009:adverse effects; D013499:Surface Properties; D015996:Survival Rate; D014134:Tracheal Neoplasms / Q000150:complications; D014135:Tracheal Stenosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D014139:Tracheostomy / Q000009:adverse effects
D012828:Silicones