Management of central airway obstruction

Management of post-traumatic tracheal stenosis with silicone stent placement

Benign airway stenosis often poses a therapeutic challenge and requires a multidisciplinary approach involving interventional pulmonologists and thoracic surgeons. We report the case of a man who presented with thoracic trauma following a road traffic accident. His chest X-ray showed complete collapse of the right lung, while screening flexible bronchoscopy revealed pooled secretions and asymmetric mid-to-lower tracheal stenosis. After thorough clinicoradiological evaluation and multidisciplinary discussion, we proceeded with therapeutic rigid bronchoscopy and silicone stenting of the tracheal stenotic lesion. Post-procedure, the patient improved clinically and also showed radiological improvement. Subsequently, he underwent stent removal and remains in follow-up. While surgery is a definitive modality for management of benign tracheal stenosis, most patients with advanced disease, pneumonia or with poor general condition are unfit to tolerate general anaesthesia or surgery. In such patients, minimally invasive bronchoscopic techniques that are generally safe to perform have led to substantial improvement in symptoms and long-term quality of life.