Pulmonary Function Improves After Expandable Metal Stent Placement for Benign Airway Obstruction

• Published in: Chest Vol. 115; no. 4; pp. 1006 - 1011
• Main Authors: Eisner, Mark D., Gordon, Roy L., Webb, W. Richard, Gold, Warren M., Hilal, Sameer E., Edinburgh, Keith, Golden, Jeffrey A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Northbrook, IL Elsevier Inc 01.04.1999; American College of Chest Physicians
• Subjects: Adult; Airway management; Airway Obstruction - etiology; Airway Obstruction - physiopathology; Airway Obstruction - therapy; airway obstruction, surgery; Biological and medical sciences; Bronchial Diseases - etiology; Bronchial Diseases - physiopathology; Bronchial Diseases - therapy; Bronchoscopy; Confidence intervals; Constriction, Pathologic; Dyspnea; Female; Forced Expiratory Volume; Humans; Lung transplants; Male; Maximal Midexpiratory Flow Rate; Medical imaging; Medical sciences; Metals; Middle Aged; Patients; Peak Expiratory Flow Rate; Pneumology; Respiratory Mechanics; Respiratory system : syndromes and miscellaneous diseases; Silicones; Spirometry; Stents; Tracheal Stenosis - etiology; Tracheal Stenosis - physiopathology; Tracheal Stenosis - therapy; Vital Capacity; PEF; bronchial diseases, therapy; FEF25–75; stents; CI; airway obstruction, surgery; forced expiratory volume; bronchoscopy; Bronchoscopy; Human; Postoperative; Associated technique; Respiratory disease; Forced vital capacity; Instrumentation therapy; Exploration; Implantation; Expiratory flow rate; Maximal expiratory volume per second; Obstruction; Stent; Lung volume; Respiratory tract; Lung function; Bronchus disease; Endoscopy
• ISSN: 0012-3692; 1931-3543
• DOI: 10.1378/chest.115.4.1006

To determine whether expandable metal stent placement for benign airway lesions improves pulmonary function. Case series. University medical center. Nine patients who underwent balloon-mediated expandable metal stent deployment for airway obstruction due to benign etiologies. All nine patients had expandable stents deployed for benign airway lesions using fiberoptic bronchoscopy and fluoroscopic guidance. Pulmonary function improved after stent placement. The mean FVC increased by 388 mL (95% confidence interval[CI], 30 to 740 mL), the mean peak expiratory flow (PEF) increased by 1,288 mL (95% CI, 730 to 1,840 mL), the mean FEV1increased by 550 mL (95% CI, 240 to 860 mL), and the mean forced expiratory flow between 25% and 50% of vital capacity (FEF25–75%) increased by 600 mL (95% CI, 110 to 1,090 mL). Corresponding relative measurements included increases in FVC (12%), PEF (95%), FEV1 (38%), and FEF25–75% (87%). The complete characterization of a benign airway obstruction generally required a multimodal approach. Expandable metal stent placement appears to be an effective therapy for benign airway obstruction.