title: Sequential stenting for extensive malignant airway stenosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Malignant airway stenosis extending from the bronchial bifurcation to the lower lobar orifice was treated with airway stenting. We herein examine the effectiveness of airway stenting for extensive malignant airway stenosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twelve patients with extensive malignant airway stenosis underwent placement of a silicone Dumon Y stent (Novatech, La Ciotat, France) at the tracheal bifurcation and a metallic Spiral Z-stent (Medico's Hirata, Osaka, Japan) at either distal side of the Y stent. We retrospectively analyzed the therapeutic efficacy of the sequential placement of these silicone and metallic stents in these 12 patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The primary disease was lung cancer in eight patients, breast cancer in two patients, tracheal cancer in one patient, and thyroid cancer in one patient. The median survival period after airway stent placement was 46 days. The Hugh-Jones classification and performance status improved in nine patients after airway stenting. One patient had prolonged hemoptysis and died of respiratory tract hemorrhage 15 days after the treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Because the initial disease was advanced and aggressive, the prognosis after sequential airway stent placement was significantly poor. However, because respiratory distress decreased after the treatment in most patients, this treatment may be acceptable for selected patients with extensive malignant airway stenosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Thoracic Surgery, Osaka City General Hospital, Osaka, Osaka, Japan.
authors.forename: Takuma
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tsukioka
authors.forename: Makoto
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Takahama
authors.forename: Ryu
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Nakajima
authors.forename: Michitaka
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kimura
authors.forename: Keiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tei
authors.forename: Ryoji
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000402:Airway Obstruction / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality; D001999:Bronchoscopy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000295:instrumentation*; D003251:Constriction, Pathologic; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008297:Male; D008670:Metals; D008875:Middle Aged; D010166:Palliative Care; D011474:Prosthesis Design; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012828:Silicones; D015607:Stents; D013899:Thoracic Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality; D013997:Time Factors; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014135:Tracheal Stenosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D008670:Metals; D012828:Silicones