Performance of fully covered self-expanding metallic stents in benign airway strictures.

BACKGROUND: Airway stenting has become a common technique in inoperable benign strictures. An ideal stent does not yet exist for these conditions. Recently, fully covered self-expandable metallic stents (SEMS) have been commercialized with potential use in benign airway strictures.
OBJECTIVE: We retrospectively reviewed the clinical effectiveness of fully covered SEMS in the management of benign strictures.
METHODS: A total of 17 patients received 20 stents: 7 Silmet, 8 Taewoong and 5 Alveolus stents. Ten stents were deployed in a structural postintubation tracheal stenosis. Other indications were multinodular goiter, anastomotic stricture, endobronchial posttuberculosis scar, damaged cartilage and relapsing polychondritis.
RESULTS: In our series, the short-term (<12 weeks after stent deployment) complication rate was 75%, requiring stent removal in 60%. Overall, stent migration was observed in 65%, stent fracture in 15%, shriveling of the stent in 10% and granulation formation in 10%.
CONCLUSION: The use of fully covered SEMS for the treatment of benign airway strictures is associated with a high short-term complication rate requiring stent removal. We have abandoned in our clinical practice the use of fully covered SEMS for benign airway strictures. Copyright 2009 S. Karger AG, Basel.