Removal of long-term tracheal stents with excellent tracheal healing

Abstract

Covered metallic endobronchial stents are increasingly used in the management of diverse large airway pathology and once deployed they are considered permanent. Long-term complications of stent fracture and airway granulation tissue formation may necessitate stent removal. We describe successful endoscopic removal of the Ultraflex expandable tracheal metallic stents (Microvasive; Boston Scientific, Natick, MA) in 5 patients at 105, 84, 50, 38, and 21 months after deployment, with excellent tracheal healing and clearance of granulation tissue noted at 6 weeks after removal in each patient.