title: Treatment of tracheobronchial obstruction with a polytetrafluoroethylene-covered retrievable expandable nitinol stent.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the clinical effectiveness of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE)-covered retrievable expandable nitinol stents in tracheobronchial strictures.
  
  
  METHODS
  With fluoroscopic guidance, PTFE-covered retrievable expandable nitinol stents were placed in 15 symptomatic patients with benign (n = 6) or malignant (n = 9) tracheobronchial strictures. Complications and improvement in respiratory status were evaluated. Stents were removed electively 6 months after placement in benign strictures or if complications occurred. Membrane degradation or separation from the wire mesh was evaluated in removed stents.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 17 stents were successfully placed and were well tolerated in all patients. Sputum retention, stent migration, and tissue hyperplasia occurred in 23.5% (n = 4), 17.6% (n = 3), and 17.6% (n = 3) of stents, respectively. A total of 11 stents were successfully removed electively 6 months after placement (n = 4) or when complications occurred (n = 7). All 11 such stents were removed without difficulty with use of standard techniques, antecedent balloon dilation being necessary in two cases as a result of tissue hyperplasia. No removed stent showed signs of membrane degradation, and two removed stents showed signs of membrane separation from the mesh.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PTFE-covered retrievable expandable nitinol stents were effective in the treatment of tracheobronchial strictures. Stent removal was easy with use of standard techniques, and no removed stent showed evidence of membrane degradation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology and the Research Institute of Radiology, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, 388-1, Pungnap-2dong, Songpa-gu, Seoul, 138-736, Korea.
authors.forename: Ji Hoon
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.forename: Ho-Young
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Gi Young
authors.initials: GY
authors.lastname: Ko
authors.forename: Tae-Sun
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Shim
authors.forename: Sang Wee
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Young Kwon
authors.initials: YK
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Heung-Kyu
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Ko
authors.forename: Yong Jae
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Hyun-Ki
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Yoon
authors.forename: Kyu-Bo
authors.initials: KB
authors.lastname: Sung
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000497:Alloys; D001982:Bronchial Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003251:Constriction, Pathologic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy; D020878:Device Removal; D005260:Female; D005471:Fluoroscopy; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011138:Polytetrafluoroethylene; D015641:Radiography, Interventional; D015607:Stents; D014135:Tracheal Stenosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000497:Alloys; C013616:nitinol; D011138:Polytetrafluoroethylene