Airway stents in management of tracheal stenosis: have we improved?
BACKGROUND
Airway stenting is an alternative approach for relieving airway stenosis when lesions are inappropriate for single-stage reconstruction. The aim of this study was to present our experience using airway stent in the management of patients with tracheal stenosis.


METHODS
This study retrospectively reviewed 45 patients who underwent airway stenting during a 2-year period. Between June 2002 and August 2004, 45 patients underwent rigid bronchoscopy for tracheal stenosis using an Ultraflex stent (Microvasive; Boston Scientific, Boston, MA, USA), Hood stent (Hood Laboratories, Pembroke, MA, USA) and Montgomery T-tube (Boston Medical, Westborough, MA, USA). Clinical improvement, intraoperative, early and late postoperative complications were evaluated.


RESULTS
Ultraflex stent was used in 14 patients, Hood stent in 9 and Montgomery T-tube in 22. The overall clinical improvement was 95.5%. Four per cent of the patients (2/45) had intraoperative complications, 8.8% (4/45) had early postoperative complications and 51% (23/45) had late postoperative complications. No significant difference was determined between stent type and complication rates.


CONCLUSIONS
Rigid bronchoscopic insertion of airway stents for tracheal stenosis is a safe and effective procedure. No difference exists between stent type and clinical improvement, intraoperative and early and late postoperative complications.
Wu
Ching-Yang
CY
Department of Surgery, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan, China.
Liu
Yun-Hen
YH
Hsieh
Ming-Ju
MJ
Wu
Yi-Chen
YC
Lu
Ming-Shian
MS
Ko
Po-Jen
PJ
Liu
Hui-Ping
HP
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001999:Bronchoscopy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D019919:Prosthesis Implantation / Q000009:adverse effects; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015607:Stents / Q000009:adverse effects; D014135:Tracheal Stenosis / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome