Airway stent current practices evaluation: Survey among French bronchoscopy practitioners

Area of Science:

• Pulmonology
• Interventional Bronchoscopy
• Medical Device Management

Background:

• Airway stenting (AS) is a crucial intervention for benign and malignant central airway stenosis.
• Over 30 centers in France routinely perform airway stenting procedures.
• Current management strategies for AS lack standardization among practitioners.

Purpose of the Study:

• To survey French bronchoscopy practitioners regarding their current practices in airway stenting.
• To identify similarities and variations in pre- and post-procedure management of airway stenting.

Main Methods:

• An online survey was distributed to the Groupe d'Endoscopie de Langue Française (GELF) mailing list.
• The survey consisted of two parts: pre-AS attitudes and post-AS management, with 10 questions each.
• Responses were collected from 36 participants for the pre-AS section and 33 for the post-AS section.

Main Results:

• A high rate (86%) of practitioners do not use prophylactic antibiotics before AS.
• Similarities include saline nebulization use and stent removal/replacement for persistent issues (73%).
• Significant heterogeneity exists in systematic endoscopic control, pre-procedure bacteriological sampling (44%), and stent replacement protocols.

Conclusions:

• Airway stenting management in France demonstrates considerable variability among practitioners.
• Consensus exists on limited aspects, while significant disagreements persist on key management points.
• The findings underscore the necessity for expert-developed recommendations to enhance airway stenting care.