Nitinol alloy endotracheal stent for treatment of tracheal stenosis.
OBJECTIVE
To treat inoperable tracheal stenosis by using nitinol endotracheal stent and to solve some problems facing endotracheal stenting with other kinds of stents.


METHODS
The stent was made of nitinol wire. It can be deformed to smaller size in iced water. With a self-made introducer, the stent was placed in the location of stenosis. After hot water was injected into the introducer, the stent resumed its original form and anchored there itself.


RESULTS
Altogether, 5 patients with severe tracheal stenosis received this treatment. Dyspnea was relieved immediately after implantation of stents in all patients. Long-term follow-up also showed satisfactory results.


CONCLUSIONS
Nitinol stent has some remarkable advantages as compared with other tracheal stents. It can be used as a new endoprosthesis in treating narrowed trachea.
Liu
Y
Y
Department of Thoracic Surgery, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China.
Sun
Y
Y
Zhou
N
N
Huang
X
X
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000497:Alloys; D003528:Carcinoma, Adenoid Cystic / Q000150:complications; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000150:complications; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015607:Stents; D014134:Tracheal Neoplasms / Q000150:complications; D014135:Tracheal Stenosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*
D000497:Alloys; C013616:nitinol