title: Performance of fully covered self-expanding metallic stents in benign airway strictures.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Airway stenting has become a common technique in inoperable benign strictures. An ideal stent does not yet exist for these conditions. Recently, fully covered self-expandable metallic stents (SEMS) have been commercialized with potential use in benign airway strictures.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We retrospectively reviewed the clinical effectiveness of fully covered SEMS in the management of benign strictures.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 17 patients received 20 stents: 7 Silmet, 8 Taewoong and 5 Alveolus stents. Ten stents were deployed in a structural postintubation tracheal stenosis. Other indications were multinodular goiter, anastomotic stricture, endobronchial posttuberculosis scar, damaged cartilage and relapsing polychondritis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In our series, the short-term (<12 weeks after stent deployment) complication rate was 75%, requiring stent removal in 60%. Overall, stent migration was observed in 65%, stent fracture in 15%, shriveling of the stent in 10% and granulation formation in 10%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The use of fully covered SEMS for the treatment of benign airway strictures is associated with a high short-term complication rate requiring stent removal. We have abandoned in our clinical practice the use of fully covered SEMS for benign airway strictures.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pulmonology, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Christophe
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dooms
authors.forename: Tom
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: De Keukeleire
authors.forename: Annelies
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Janssens
authors.forename: Kris
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Carron
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007442:Intubation, Intratracheal / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000295:instrumentation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019919:Prosthesis Implantation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000295:instrumentation; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015607:Stents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D014135:Tracheal Stenosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome