Airway stents.

Airway stenting has been well used in the treatment and palliation of patients with malignant stenoses and to a lesser extent in those with benign disease causing airway compromise. Stents are either constructed of silicone or metal, usually a nitinol, a nickel and titanium alloy. The different categories of stents have positive and negative attributes that play a role in choosing the proper stent. This article aims to discuss these issues with regards to malignant and benign tracheobronchial disease.