Metallic Endobronchial Stents: A Contemporary Resurrection.

Abstract

Airway stenting has been practiced for several decades. It is one of the most common procedures performed by interventional pulmonologists. Typically, these stents are implanted to maintain the tubular patency of the tracheobronchial tree. They are only considered as a temporizing measure, or when a surgical option cannot be pursued. Through the past few decades, a number of metallic airway stents have been introduced into the market. First generation stents were comparatively simplistic and crafted from stainless steel. The latest generation of metallic airway stents are hybrid in nature and constructed with complex alloys. As airway stenting become more widely practiced, concerns arose regarding their safety. However, with improved understanding of stent-airway interactions, advancements in biomedical engineering, and a larger emphasis on post procedural care, the use of metallic endobronchial stents has been resurrected. We present the history, technological advancement, and contemporary indications of metallic airway stents.