Predictors in the treatment of malignant central airway obstruction with silicone stents

Purpose: To examine the role of the silicone stent in palliation of malignant central airway obstruction and identify potential preprocedural predictors for postprocedural outcome.

Methods: Patients treated with endoscopic insertion of tracheobronchial silicone stents for malignant central airway obstruction at Aarhus University Hospital from 2012 to 2022 were identified from electronic medical records. Statistical analyses were carried out to identify factors affecting Days Alive and Out of Hospital, complications and overall survival.

Results: 81 patients underwent a total of 90 tracheobronchial stent insertions. Days Alive and Out of Hospital (DAOH) for the first 30 days were affected negatively by urgent intervention, p < 0.001, preprocedural non-invasive respiratory support, p < 0.001, and preprocedural intubation, p = 0.02. Post-procedural oncological treatment was associated with a significant improved DAOH, p = 0.04. Symptomatology and lesion characteristics were not significantly associated with any impact on DAOH. Overall survival was poor (mean survival was 158 days), and only significantly affected by severe degree of dyspnea, p = 0.02, and postprocedural oncological treatment, p < 0.001. Complication where registered in 25.6% of cases within the first 30 days was observed. Procedure-related mortality was 3.7%. Based on chart annotations by an ENT-surgeon, 95% of the patients experienced relief of symptoms following stent insertion.

Conclusions: Palliative tracheobronchial airway stenting with silicone stents is found to have a beneficial impact, more research is required for identification of predictors for postprocedural outcome based on preprocedural classifications.