Temporary stenting for malignant tracheal stenosis due to esophageal cancer: a case report

We present a case of a 56-year-old male with esophageal cancer who underwent successful temporary tracheal stenting followed by a surgical procedure. The trachea was obstructed owing to endotracheal metastasis and the patient had severe dyspnea. A silicone Y-stent was initially inserted into the tracheal stenosis to secure the airway, and then tumor-specific chemo-radiotherapy was applied. The tumor was reduced, the stent was removed and a pathological study indicated that the tracheal metastasis had disappeared. The patient then underwent esophagectomy and tumor-specific chemo-radiotherapy was continued after the surgery. The patient has remained alive and free of esophageal cancer for 18 months after the airway stent emplacement. These findings suggested that the silicone stent was suitable as a temporary measure and that temporary stenting combined with tumor-specific therapy was effective as part of the aggressive therapeutic strategy with which to treat the malignant airway stenosis due to esophageal cancer.