The use of expandable metallic airway stents for tracheobronchial obstruction in children.

Expandable metallic angioplasty stents (Palmaz stent) have been implanted in the trachea and/or bronchi of seven children. Three children had severe tracheal stenosis after tracheoplasty for congenital tracheal stenosis repair, and four had tracheomalacia or bronchomalacia with or without vascular compression. The mean age at stenting was 9.7 months (range, 2 to 15 months). Balloon expandable stents were inserted into the trachea or bronchus through a 3.5-mm bronchoscope under fluoroscopic control. Initially a single tracheal stent was used for all patients except for one with obstruction in the trachea and both bronchi, in whom three stents were implanted. Three children had recurrent airway obstruction 1 month later; one was cured with a second stent; one child died 1 year later; and the other is being treated for heart disease. The others have no serious respiratory problems. The stents in all have been in place for 1 to 25 (mean, 11) months. No immediate complications were noted. Early and late bronchoscopy showed incomplete epithelialization of the stent and patches of granulation tissue on it. Two stents were removed bronchoscopically, one at the completion of treatment for tracheomalacia and the other at the time of recurrent airway obstruction. This preliminary experience indicates that expandable metallic stents have a useful role in the treatment of selected lower airway obstructions.