A new technique of endoscopic implantation of self-expanding mesh stents for inoperable tracheo-bronchial malignancies.

When malignant or benign lesions obstruct the tracheobronchial tree in patients unsuitable for surgery, patency of the lumen can be maintained using endoprostheses. This procedure is traditionally performed by rigid bronchoscopy. Recently, self-expanding metal stents have been developed and used in clinical practice. We employed these stents in 3 patients suffering from advanced tracheo-bronchial tumors; in all cases the procedure was carried out with flexible videobronchoscopes under local anaesthesia.