Remove Airway Ultraflex Stents by Flexible Bronchoscope

Endoscopic Removal of Uncovered Metallic Airway Stents

BACKGROUND

Self-expandable uncovered metallic stents (SEUMS) have been used in benign tracheobronchial stenosis. Stent complications may require risky removal due to SEUMS integration in the tracheobronchial wall. Our study aims to report techniques, including a novel one, and outcomes of SEUMS removal by rigid bronchoscopy.

METHODS

We studied a case series of 7 patients from a tertiary medical center, who underwent SEUMS removal from 2017 to 2022. SEUMS removals were performed through rigid bronchoscopy. We used a new technique with bronchoscopic hook scissors to gradually dissect the stent from the airway wall.

RESULTS

Nine SEUMS were removed from 7 patients. The mean duration of stenting was 7 years (5 to 12 y). Indications for stent removal included mostly recurrent pulmonary infections, obstructive granulation tissue, and stents' fractures. We used the usually described technique in the literature known as the "piecemeal fashion" without dissection in 4 SEUMS removals and a new dissection technique in 5 procedures. We reported one major intraoperative complication using the former technique in the form of tracheal tear with mediastinal breach, while we did not experience any major complications with the later one. One patient died 8 days after surgery from respiratory failure.

CONCLUSION

Dissection and "piecemeal fashion techniques" can be used to remove SEUMS by rigid bronchoscopy even after long-term stenting. SEUMS removal is a very risky procedure and must be performed by a trained operator. Patients should be aware of possible severe complications.

The strategy of removing tracheal stents by using an interventional technique under fluoroscopy

Background

Tracheal stent implantation is widely used in clinic settings. Timely removal of tracheal stents could prevent or reduce related complications. This study was aimed at evaluating the feasibility and safety of removing tracheal stents by an interventional technique under fluoroscopy.

Methods

Clinical data of patients with self-expanding uncovered tracheal stents removed by an interventional technique under fluoroscopy were analyzed retrospectively, including medical records, imaging findings, surgical records, and follow-up results. According to the type and time of stent placement and the proliferation of granulation tissue under bronchoscopy, different tracheal stent removal techniques were used to remove the tracheal stent under fluoroscopy, and the feasibility and safety of the interventions were analyzed.

Results

In all, 148 tracheal stents were removed from 112 patients; 95.9% (142/148) of the stents were completely removed and 4.1% (6/148) had a small amount of metal residue, and foreign-body forceps were removed under fiber bronchoscopy guidance. In 78 (69.6%), 32 (21.6%), and 6 (5.4%) patients, the tracheal stent was removed by the internal stripping, direct removal, and stent-in-stent methods, respectively. The overall stent removal time ranged from 11 to 111 (28.9 ± 20.1) min. During stent removal, 16 (14.3%) and 13 (11.6%) patients developed mild and moderate complications, respectively. There were no serious complications such as massive hemorrhage, mediastinal fistula, or death.

Conclusions

An interventional technique under fluoroscopy for stent removal is a feasible, safe, and effective method and could serve as a technique for tracheal stent removal in clinical settings.

Anesthetic management of tracheal stent extraction using a double gum elastic bougie technique

Background

Tracheal stenosis is a life-threatening condition, and management of a patient with a risk of tracheal stenosis is challenging for anesthesiologists. In this report, we describe a method for airway management using two gum elastic bougie method when removing a tracheal stent via a tracheostomy orifice with a risk of airway restenosis.

Case presentation

A 71-year-old man had an enlarged squamous cell carcinoma of the lung invading the upper mediastinum that had caused severe stenosis of the trachea. Two months after diagnosis, a tracheal stent had been placed to maintain tracheal patency. One month after stent placement, acute respiratory failure was induced by upper airway obstruction caused by subglottic airway edema due to mechanical stimulation of the cranial end of the stent, and the patient was rescued by oral tracheal intubation. Tracheal stent extraction was scheduled to relieve the laryngeal edema. Since there was a risk of tracheal restenosis because of the possibility of accidental evulsion of the orally tracheal tube which intubated to secure an emergency airway and tracheal stent extraction, two gum elastic bougies were inserted through the oral tracheal tube and tracheostomy orifice to facilitate re-intubation. After extraction of the tracheal stent, airway openness was maintained and tracheostomy was completed without any complication.

Conclusion

Successful management of tracheal stent extraction was performed using a double gum elastic bougie technique.

Y-shaped airway self-expanding covered metallic stent removal via the interventional technique

AIM

To review the removal of Y-shaped airway self-expanding covered metallic stents using the interventional technique under fluoroscopy.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The clinical data of 33 patients who underwent removal of Y-shaped airway self-expanding covered metallic stents from March 2011 to August 2019 were analysed retrospectively.

RESULTS

A total of 35 Y-shaped stents were removed. The average indwelling duration of the tracheal stents was 101.7 ± 105.4 days. Four cases were removed via the conventional method (grasping the upper tip of the stent to collapse and adduct the proximal end of the stent), whereas 31 cases were removed using the reversal method (grasping the distal end of the stent to invert and strip out the stent). The duration of stent removal was 24.3 ± 12.4 minutes (median time, 20 minutes).

CONCLUSION

The interventional radiology technique is a feasible, safe, and effective method for removing Y-shaped airway self-expanding covered metallic stents, and can be considered for use in the clinical setting.

Long-term outcomes of tracheal stents removal under fluoroscopy guidance: comparison of tracheal fistulas and tracheal stenosis

Background

Endoscopic removal is the most common method for removal of tracheal stents. Few studies have reported the technique of fluoroscopy-guided stent removal for tracheal fistula and tracheal stenosis. We aimed to study the safety and efficacy of fluoroscopy-guided stent removal as well as the optimal duration for stent usage.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective analysis of 152 patients who underwent fluoroscopy-guided stent removal from January 2011 to June 2017. Reasons for stent implantation were tracheal fistula in 85 patients (TF group), and tracheal stenosis in 67 patients (TS group). All patients underwent tracheal CT scans before stent removal and during follow up. The technical success rate, complications, and survival rate were compared between the two groups.

Results

The technical success rate of stent removal was 98.9 and 97.4%, respectively for the TF and TS group. Removal was routine for half of patients, and in the remainder, excessive granulation tissue was the common indications for stent removal, which was found after stenting at 142.1 ± 25.9 days in the TF group, and at 89.9 ± 15.0 day in the TS group. The total incidence of complications was 21.1 and 22.4%, respectively, for the TF and TS groups. Perioperative death occurred in one patient in the TF group, and two patients in the TS group. Recurrence of fistula or stenosis requiring re-stenting was the most comment complication in both groups. The 0.5-, 3-, 6-year survival rates were 90.3, 59.6, and 36.1% for TF group, and 80.4, 75.7, 75.7% for TS group.

Conclusions

Fluoroscopic removal of tracheal stents is safe and effective for both tracheal fistula and tracheal stenosis, with no significant difference in outcomes. Clinicians should pay attention to the risk of hemoptysis for patients with malignant tumors and a combination with endoscopic hemostasis may help improve its safety.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12890-020-01349-7.

Fluoroscopic removal of self-expandable metallic airway stent in patients with airway stenosis

To study the safety and efficacy of fluoroscopic removal of self-expandable metallic stent for airway stenosis.We conducted a retrospective analysis of 67 consecutive patients, 39 male and 28 female, who underwent fluoroscopic stent removal from March 2011 to April 2017. The patients ranged in age from 12 to 85 years. Seventy-six airway stents were implanted, 70 covered stents and 6 bare stents, including 9 stents for second stent implantation after removal. All patients underwent chest computed tomography scans with/without bronchoscopy before stent removal. The indication of stent removal and postinterventional complications were analyzed retrospectively.Seventy-four of 76 airway stents were successfully removed, only 2 stent showed retained struts after removal, for a technical success rate of 97.4%. Two patients died of complications (1 hemorrhage and 1 respiratory failure), resulting in a clinical success rate of 94.7%. Five stents showed strut fracture and the remaining 71 stents were removed in 1 piece. Indications for stent removal include planned removal (n = 40), excessive granulation tissue (n = 15), intolerance of stenting (n = 6), inadequate expansion and deformation (n = 5), stent migration (n = 5), replacement of bare stent (n = 4), and strut fracture (n = 1). There were 17 complications of stent removal: death from massive bleeding (n = 1), restenosis requires stenting (n = 9), strut fracture or residue (n = 5), dyspnea requires mechanical ventilation (n = 2). The survival rates were 83.8%, 82.1%, and 82.1% for 0.5, 3, and 6 years.Fluoroscopic removal of airway stent is technically feasible and effective. Stents are recommended for removal within 3 months for treating airway stenosis.

Metallic stent insertion and removal for post-tracheotomy and post-intubation tracheal stenosis

PURPOSE

To study the safety and effectiveness of fluoroscopic insertion and removal of self-expandable metallic airway stent for post-tracheotomy tracheal stenosis (PTTS) and post-intubation tracheal stenosis (PITS).

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective analysis of 32 patients who underwent fluoroscopic stenting from September 2011 to March 2017. The patients ranged in age from 12 to 69 years. Thirty-eight airway stents were implanted, 35 covered stents and three bare stents. Nineteen airway stents were used for 16 cases of PITS or PTTS. All patients underwent chest CT scans with/without bronchoscopy prior to stent removal. The indication of stent removal and post-interventional complications were analyzed.

RESULTS

All 38 airway stents were successfully inserted. Insufficient expansion and tissue hyperplasia were most common complications after stenting. Thirty five of 38 airway stents were successfully removed fluoroscopically, with a technical success rate of 92.1%. Routine removal was performed after 2.9 ± 0.3 months, and stent restenosis was found after a mean duration of 2.7 ± 0.3 months. There were six complications of stent removal with no death. Four stents showed strut fracture after removal, of which three stent pieces retained. Two patients showed dyspnea immediately after removal and required mechanical ventilation in PTTS. One patient with PTTS lost of follow-up during a mean period of 33.7 ± 3.9 months. The one-, three- and five-year patency rates were 87.1%, 76.2% and 70.8%, respectively. There was no significant difference between PITS and PTTS.

CONCLUSIONS

Fluoroscopic insertion and removal of airway stent is safe and effective for PITS and PTTS. A three-month retention time is reasonable for airway stents.

Central airway tumors: interventional bronchoscopy in diagnosis and management

The diagnosis of central airway tumors is usually challenging because of the vague presentations. Advances in visualization technology in bronchoscopy aid early detection of bronchial lesion. Cryotechnology has great impact on endobronchial lesion sampling and provides better diagnostic yield. Airway tumor involvements result in significant alteration in life quality and lead to poor life expectancy. Timely and efficiently use ablation techniques by heat or cold energy provide symptoms relief for central airway obstruction. Prostheses implantation is effective in maintaining airway patency after ablative procedure or external compression. Combined interventional bronchoscopy modalities and other adjunctive therapies have improvement in quality of life and further benefit in survival. This review aims to provide a diagnostic approach to central airway tumors and an overview of currently available techniques of interventional bronchoscopy in managing symptomatic central airway obstruction.

A new removable airway stent

Background

Malignant airway obstruction is a feared complication and will most probably occur more frequently in the future because of increasing cancer incidence and increased life expectancy in cancer patients. Minimal invasive treatment using airway stents represents a meaningful and life-saving palliation. We present a new removable airway stent for improved individualised treatment.

Methods

To our knowledge, the new airway stent is the world's first knitted and uncovered self-expanding metal stent, which can unravel and be completely removed. In an in vivo model using two anaesthetised and spontaneously breathing pigs, we deployed and subsequently removed the stents by unravelling the device. The procedures were executed by flexible bronchoscopy in an acute and a chronic setting – a ‘proof-of-principle’ study.

Results

The new stent was easily and accurately deployed in the central airways, and it remained fixed in its original position. It was easy to unravel and completely remove from the airways without clinically significant complications. During the presence of the stent in the chronic study, granulation tissue was induced. This tissue disappeared spontaneously with the removal.

Conclusions

The new removable stent functioned according to its purpose and unravelled easily, and it was completely removed without significant technical or medical complications. Induced granulation tissue disappeared spontaneously. Further studies on animals and humans are needed to define its optimal indications and future use.

Removal of endobronchial malignant mass by cryotherapy improved performance status to receive chemotherapy

Although malignant endobronchial mass (MEM) has poor prognosis, cryotherapy is reportedly a palliative treatment. Clinical data on postcryotherapy MEM patients in a university-affiliated hospital between 2007 and 2011 were evaluated. Survival curve with or without postcryotherapy chemotherapy and performance status (PS) improvement of these subjects were analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier method. There were 59 patients (42 males), with median age of 64 years (range, 51-76, and median performance status of 2 (interquartile range [IQR], 2-3). Postcryotherapy complications included minor bleeding (n = 12) and need for multiple procedures (n = 10), while outcomes were relief of symptoms (n = 51), improved PS (n = 45), and ability to receive chemotherapy (n = 40). The survival of patients with chemotherapy postcryotherapy was longer than that of patients without such chemotherapy (median, 534 versus 106 days; log-rank test, P = 0.007; hazard ratio, 0.25; 95% confidence interval, 0.10-0.69). The survival of patients with PS improvement postcryotherapy was longer than that of patients without PS improvement (median, 406 versus 106 days; log-rank test, P = 0.02; hazard ratio, 0.28; 95% confidence interval, 0.10-0.81). Cryotherapy is a feasible treatment for MEM. With better PS after cryotherapy, further chemotherapy becomes possible for patients to improve survival when MEM caused dyspnea and poor PS.

Is stent insertion via flexible bronchoscopy a feasible alternative to surgery in inoperable thyroid related tracheobronchial stenosis?

The use of endobronchial stents in the treatment of tumour related tracheobronchial stenosis has been well described. While many forms of stent exist, their use has invariably been described in the context of rigid bronchoscopy and general anaesthesia. Few reports exist on the use of endobronchial stents for the treatment of thyroid goitre related stenosis.Our objective was to retrospectively analyse the use of self expanding metal stent (SEMS) insertion for thyroid related tracheobronchial stenosis under sedation with flexible bronchoscopy in the treatment of this condition. Patient charts were reviewed on all patients who had stent insertion in our unit since 1999-2005. We analysed the indication for stenting, pathology, stent size and location and detail any complications of therapy. Particular attention was paid to those with benign disease to evaluate the recommendation made by the U.S Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2005 on the use of metal stents in benign airways disease. A total of five patients (4 female, 1 male) who were too unfit for surgery had stent insertion for thyroid related tracheobronchial stenosis over this period. All patients experienced complications which became prolonged and recurrent in those with benign disease who survived longer. We conclude that SEMS insertion via flexible bronchoscopy is not appropriate for the treatment of benign thyroid goitre related tracheobronchial stenosis until all other interventions have been exhaustively explored.