title: Endoscopic treatment of tracheal stenosis.
abstract: For all cases of tracheal obstructions surgery should be considered first. Interventional endoscopic procedures can provide immediate relief. Intraluminally growing tumors can be resected with laser, argon-plasma coagulation, an electrosurgical knife or cryo-probe. Photodynamic therapy of smaller tracheal tumors can be curative. Narrowing from intramural tumor growth or wall destruction requires internal splinting with an airway stent. Scar strictures can be dilated with balloons but the biotrauma may stimulate new scarring. In benign strictures and malacias, tracheal stents should only be placed if all other methods are exhausted. Complications including stent migration, mucostasis, halitosis and granulation tissue development must be considered. Most important for a good outcome is a multidisciplinary approach.
authors.affiliation: Department of Interventional Pulmonology, Ruhrlandklinik, University Hospital, University Duisburg-Essen, 45239 Essen, Germany. Electronic address: lutz.freitag@ruhrlandklinik.uk-essen.de.
authors.forename: Lutz
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Freitag
authors.affiliation: Department of Interventional Pulmonology, Ruhrlandklinik, University Hospital, University Duisburg-Essen, 45239 Essen, Germany.
authors.forename: Kaid
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Darwiche
mesh_terms: D004724:Endoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D015607:Stents / Q000009:adverse effects; D014132:Trachea / Q000601:surgery; D014134:Tracheal Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D014135:Tracheal Stenosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*
keywords: Airway stent; Interventional pneumology; Laser resection; Tracheal stenosis; Tracheal stricture; Tracheal tumor