A narrative review of new research progress regarding the use of airway stents in benign airway stenosis

ABSTRACT

Introduction

Benign airway stenosis is a severe disease that can result in death with improper treatment. Clinicians must know about airway stents to choose the best one in their daily practice.

Areas covered

PubMed, Embase, and other electronic databases and websites were searched to identify relevant randomized controlled trials and meta-analyses. This review summarizes different types of airway stents and analyzes their advantages and disadvantages.

Expert opinion

Increasing attention has been given to the indications and prognosis of benign airway stenosis treated with different airway stents. With more investigations and data, better alternatives to silicone stents could be developed in the future.

KEYWORDS:

• Benign airway stenosis
• airway stent
• metal stent
• biodegradable stent
• functional stenoses

Article highlights

• This review summarizes different types of airway stents and analyzes their advantages and disadvantages.

• Airway stent placement should take the long-term complications, safety and effectiveness into consideration by comparing various stents

• Increasing attention has been given to the indications and prognosis of benign airway stenosis treated with different airway stents.

• With more investigations and data, better alternatives to silicone stents could be developed in the future.

• Various new stent types have emerged in recent years, which are expected to provide new therapy for stent placement.

Declaration of interest

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties. The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

Reviewer disclosures

Peer reviewers on this manuscript have received an honorarium from Expert Review of Respiratory Medicine for their review work, but have no other relevant financial relationships to disclose.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by Shanghai ‘Rising Stars of Medical Talents’ Youth Development Program, Youth High-level Talent Special Support Plan of Zhejiang Province and Innovation High-level Talent Special Support Plan from Health Commission of Zhejiang Province. This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (81903139 to HZ).