Video-assisted interventional bronchoscopy. The Hong Kong experience.
BACKGROUND
Major airway obstruction due to benign or malignant etiology is not uncommon and is always distressing. Intraluminal stenting has been shown to be a safe and effective approach for symptomatic relief in selected patients based on the European and North American experience.


METHODS
We reviewed our experience in Hong Kong on airway stenting over a 19-month period.


RESULTS
From February 1994 to August 1995, 33 silicone stents (Dumon stent, Cometh, Marseille, France) were placed in 23 patients (20 males, three females with mean age 61.4 years, range from 26 to 81). Eighteen stents were placed in the trachea, nine in the left main stem, five in the right main stem, and one Y-stent over the carina. Twelve patients had esophageal carcinoma involving the airway, seven had bronchial carcinoma, one had metastatic carcinoma, and three had benign strictures (of which two were due to tuberculosis). There was no procedural related mortality. Stent migration occurred in four patients (17%) and required stent change. Symptoms were improved in all patients as documented by the visual analogue scale.


CONCLUSIONS
Our experience represents the "stentable" diseases seen in Hong Kong, where carcinoma of the esophagus (and tuberculosis) remains prevalent. We conclude that intraluminal stenting remains a safe and effective approach in selected patients with critical airway stenosis. Complications, however, do exist and should be realized by the operator, the patients, and their families.
Yim
A P
AP
Department of Surgery, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Prince of Wales Hospital, Hong Kong.
Abdullah
V
V
Izzat
M B
MB
van Hasselt
C A
CA
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001980:Bronchi; D001982:Bronchial Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D001999:Bronchoscopy / Q000379:methods; D003251:Constriction, Pathologic; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015607:Stents; D014132:Trachea; D014135:Tracheal Stenosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D014741:Video Recording