Airway stent: what is new and what should be discarded

Patients with lung cancer often develop endobronchial disease, endobronchial tumor extension or airway compression. Various nonmalignant diseases can also lead to severe central airway obstruction.Since the early 1980s, technical advances of interventional bronchoscopic techniques have improved symptom-free survival and quality of life for patients with lung cancer. Apart from other techniques, various airway stents have been developed. Although interventional procedures are not definitive therapies, they often relieve the strangling sensation produced by airway occlusion. There have been various new developments and the authors review the available current literature on endobronchial stents

For patients with respiratory symptoms because of malignant airway obstruction, stent placement provides symptom palliation and improved quality of life.

Various options for central airway obstruction are in development and will change our daily work. In particular, coated stents have a large potential in minimizing stent complications.