The "Hitch-Stitch" for Preventing High Tracheal Stent Migration: Expanding Indications and Extended Experience

Airway stenting is a standard treatment option for tracheo-bronchial obstruction and other conditions like tracheo-esophageal fistula (TEF).

To prevent stent migration, a percutaneous fixation strategy called the "hitch-stitch" was described in 2016 as an efficient technique. We describe an extended experience of the "hitch-stitch" for silicone stents in high tracheal stenting situations and expanding indications to metal stents.

Seventy-four percutaneous stitches were placed in 54 patients (36 males and 18 females). The mean age of the patients was 42 (±19) years. The indication for stenting was tracheal stenosis in 63/74 (85%) cases and TEF in 11/74 (15%) cases. Silicone stents were used in 56/74 (75.5%) cases while self-expanding metal stents (SEMS) were used in 18/74 (24.5%) cases. The majority of the stents (62/74, 85%) were high tracheal stents. The "hitch-stitch" as an anti-migration strategy had a high success rate, with distal stent migration in only 2 cases (2.7%) as the stitch had given way-these were repositioned and hitched with double stitches. Minor complications included delayed skin healing (2.8%) and suture site infection (1.4%), which was successfully managed with oral antibiotics. Stitch removal was easy with no complications.

In this large series of percutaneous "hitch-stitch" as a stent migration prevention strategy, long-term data shows it is safe and effective in an expanded cohort of silicone stents. Its extended utility is the successful application to metal stents, especially in TEF, where the consequences can be deleterious. It is simple to do, with minimal extra requirements and not associated with any significant complications.