Indications for an expandable metallic stent for tracheobronchial stenosis.

An expandable metallic stent was used in 9 patients with tracheobronchial stenosis. Of the 8 patients with malignant stenosis, 6 had extrinsic compression and 2 had intraluminal tumor invasion. The 1 patient with nonmalignant stenosis had postreconstruction bronchomalacia and granulation tissue affecting different parts of the tracheobronchial tree. The expandable metallic stent successfully dilated tracheobronchial stenosis due to extrinsic tumor compression and malacia. However, it was not effective for stenosis due to intraluminal tumor invasion or granulation tissue because of the growth of tumor or granulation tissue between the wires of the stent. However, an expandable metallic stent covered with Dacron mesh was effective in 1 patient with intraluminal tumor invasion because tumor growth was blocked by the mesh. We conclude that an expandable metallic stent is effective for tracheobronchial stenosis due to extrinsic tumor compression, but not for stenosis due to intraluminal tumor invasion or granulation tissue.