Case of a missed airway stent migration

This case report describes a rare complication to stent management of airway compression. An 84- year-old man was admitted to the outpatient clinic with haemoptysis, cough and dyspnoea. A CT scan showed an intraluminal, non-occluding tumour close to the right side of the main carina. A stent was inserted in the right main bronchus. The patient was, 7 months later, admitted to the emergency room with severe cough and dyspnoea. The stent was produced during a coughing spell. Retrospective investigation of available imaging revealed that the stent had been dislodged to a nearly 'perfect' position in the left main bronchus several months earlier which, however, had not been noticed and thus not reported by the radiologist describing the CT. The possibility of a right-left confusion should always be kept in mind, especially if a patient presents with renewed symptoms that should have been managed successfully.