Sm. Slonim et al., TRANSBRONCHIAL PALMAZ STENT PLACEMENT FOR TRACHEOBRONCHIAL STENOSIS, Journal of vascular and interventional radiology, 9(1), 1998, pp. 153-160
PURPOSE: Evaluation of the efficacy of transbronchial Palmaz stent pla
cement in the treatment of tracheo-bronchial narrowing. MATERIALS AND
METHODS: Twelve patients with stenoses of the tracheo-bronchial tree w
ere treated with balloon-expandable Palmaz stents, Etiology was anasto
motic stenosis after lung transplantation (n = 3), bronchogenic carcin
oma (n = 2) external compression from thoracic aortic aneurysm (n = 2)
, Mycobacterium tuberculosis (n = 1), esophageal carcinoma (n = 1), af
ter lobectomy (n = 1), after lobectomy and endobronchial radiation (n
= 1), and lye ingestion (n = 1), All patients had respiratory symptoms
, radiologic findings of persistent atelectasis, or worsening pulmonar
y function tests, Bronchoscopy was used to delineate the stenosis prio
r to intervention, With use of fluoroscopic guidance, stents were plac
ed in the mainstem bronchus (n = 11), lower lobe bronchus (n = 5), bro
nchus intermedius (n = 5), trachea (n = 3), and middle lobe bronchus (
n = 1). RESULTS: Initial technical success was achieved in all patient
s, Ten of the 12 patients (83%) had improvement of clinical pulmonary
signs or symptoms, During follow-up, five patients died, One was lost
to follow-up and was presumed dead, The 30-day mortality rate was 17%
(two of 12 patients), The two complications were superficial laceratio
n of the bronchial mucosa during balloon dilation in one patient and c
ompression of stents by a thoracic aortic aneurysm in another patient.
CONCLUSION: Initial results suggest that transbronchial Palmaz stent
placement is a feasible and effective method of treating tracheo-bronc
hial stenosis.