title: Timing of silicone stent removal in patients with post-tuberculosis bronchial stenosis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In patients with post-tuberculosis bronchial stenosis (PTBS), the severity of bronchial stenosis affects the restenosis rate after the silicone stent is removed. In PTBS patients with incomplete bronchial obstruction, who had a favorable prognosis, the timing of stent removal to ensure airway patency is not clear.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We evaluated the time for silicone stent removal in patients with incomplete PTBS.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective study examined PTBS patients who underwent stenting and removal of a silicone stent.
  
  
  METHODS
  Incomplete bronchial stenosis was defined as PTBS other than total bronchial obstruction, which had a luminal opening at the stenotic segment on bronchoscopic intervention. The duration of stenting was defined as the interval from stent insertion to removal. The study included 44 PTBS patients and the patients were grouped at intervals of 6 months according to the duration of stenting.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients stented for more than 12 months had a significantly lower restenosis rate than those stented for less than 12 months (4% vs. 35%, P = 0.009). Multiple logistic regression revealed an association between stenting for more than 12 months and a low restenosis rate (odds ratio 12.095; 95% confidence interval 1.097-133.377). Moreover, no restenosis was observed in PTBS patients when the stent was placed more than 14 months previously.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In patients with incomplete PTBS, stent placement for longer than 12 months reduced restenosis after stent removal.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea.
authors.forename: Jung Seop
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Eom
authors.forename: Hojoong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Hye Yun
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Kyeongman
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Jeon
authors.forename: Sang-Won
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Um
authors.forename: Won-Jung
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Koh
authors.forename: Gee Young
authors.initials: GY
authors.lastname: Suh
authors.forename: Man Pyo
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: O Jung
authors.initials: OJ
authors.lastname: Kwon
keywords: Airway obstruction; bronchoscopy; device removal; stents; tuberculosis