Silicone Y-Stent Placement on the Secondary Left Carina.
BACKGROUND
The silicone Y-stent has mainly been used for the treatment of lesions around the main carina, and only a few case reports have been published on the technique for the lesions around the secondary left carina (LC2).


OBJECTIVE
We investigated the feasibility, efficacy and safety of a stenting technique using a silicone Y-stent for patients with airway stenosis around LC2.


METHODS
Patients who underwent airway stent placement between December 2010 and September 2014 in a single center were retrospectively reviewed. Under general anesthesia, using rigid and flexible bronchoscopes, the airway lumen was re-established followed by Y-stent placement on LC2.


RESULTS
We performed 274 airway stenting procedures for 253 patients during the study period. Twelve of them (7 with lung cancer, 3 with esophageal cancer/carcinosarcoma, 1 with thyroid cancer and 1 with renal cancer) underwent a Y-stent placement on LC2. Respiratory symptoms were relieved in all patients. Six of 7 patients with supplemental oxygen, including the mechanically ventilated patient before stent placement, could be discharged without supplemental oxygen. The chest radiograph after the procedure showed increased lung volume in all 7 patients with partial or complete atelectasis. Median survival after stenting was 197 days at the time of data collection. Retention of secretions occurred in 1 and hemoptysis in another patient.


CONCLUSIONS
Silicone Y-stent placement on LC2 is technically feasible, effective and acceptably safe.
Department of Respiratory Medicine, Nagoya Medical Center, Nagoya, Japan.
Masahide
M
Oki
Hideo
H
Saka
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000150:complications; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000402:Airway Obstruction / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D001999:Bronchoscopy; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000150:complications; D002356:Cartilage; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000150:complications; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000150:complications; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012828:Silicones; D015607:Stents; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000150:complications
D012828:Silicones