A Technical Review of Commonly Used Tracheobronchial Stents by Interventional Pulmonologists

Over the past 20 years, there has been significant advancement in the discipline of interventional pulmonology with parallel growth of medical devices in this space. In particular, there is a numerous selection of tracheobronchial stents with unique insertion techniques available in the treatment of central airway obstruction. In severe or refractory tracheobronchial disease, airway stenting can be considered; however, complications including mucous impaction, granulation tissue formation, stent migration, and risk of infection must be acknowledged before the use of these devices. To date, there are many manufacturers of airway stents worldwide; however, a concise technical review of the most commonly used stents by interventional pulmonologists in the United States is lacking. In this review, we explore in detail the technical aspects of the most commonly used stents and highlight distinguishing properties that become practically useful for the operator.