Management of tracheal and bronchial stenoses with the Gianturco stent.

Thirty-six cancer patients with symptomatic tracheobronchial stenoses received Gianturco tracheobronchial stents over a 9-year period. Symptoms improved in 28 patients (78%). The overall median survival was 1 month 3 weeks (range, 4 days to 35 months). The median survival for patients who showed improvement after receiving stents was 3 months compared with 1 week for those who did not respond. Complications were minimal. The Gianturco stent may palliate symptoms of tracheobronchial compression in selected cancer patients.