Expandable metal stents for tracheobronchial obstruction.

We report our experience of the use of endoscopically inserted expanding stainless steel stents in 18 patients over a period of 31 months. Twelve patients had stents inserted for malignant disease causing narrowing of the tracheobronchial tree, and six for airway complications following heart-lung, single lung or double lung transplantation. In all but one case, stents were satisfactorily positioned, and there were no complications related to stent insertion. Seven patients were alive at follow-up, three of whom had stents inserted for malignancy and four as a result of complications following transplantation.