Current practices in the management of central airway obstruction

Airway obstruction continues to cause substantial pulmonary morbidity and mortality. We present a review of classic, current, and evolving management techniques, highlighting recently published studies on the topic. Recommendations have historically been primarily based on anecdotal experience, case reports, and retrospective studies, but more solid evidence has emerged in the last decade.

Novel endobronchial stents are being developed to mitigate the issues of stent migration, mucus plugging, fracture, and granulation tissue formation. Endobronchial drug delivery has become an active area of translational and clinical research, especially with regards to antineoplastic agents used for malignant airway stenosis. Even classic or updated techniques such as spray cryotherapy, injections of mitomycin-c, and balloon dilation have recently been examined in methodologically sound studies. Finally, recently published data have confirmed that patient breathlessness and quality of life improve significantly with therapeutic airway interventions. A multimodal and multidisciplinary approach to patient care is key to achieving the best outcomes.

The treatment of central airway stenosis is often multimodal and should focus on patient-centric factors, taking into account risks and benefits of the procedure, operator, and center expertise, and always occur in the context of a multidisciplinary approach. Evidence-based clinical research is increasingly driving patient management.