Lung transplant airway complications treated with biodegradable airway stents: The Dutch multi‐center experience

• Published in: Clinical transplantation Vol. 38; no. 3; pp. e15289 - n/a
• Main Authors: Pel, Roel, Gan, Tji, Daniels, Johannes M. A., Ruigrok, Dieuwertje, Hellemons, Merel E., Klooster, Karin, Slebos, Dirk‐Jan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Denmark 01-03-2024
• Subjects: airway complications; airway stent; biodegradable airway stent; Bronchoscopy; Constriction, Pathologic - etiology; Humans; lung transplant; Lung Transplantation - adverse effects; Postoperative Complications - etiology; Stents - adverse effects; Treatment Outcome; airway stent; lung transplant; biodegradable airway stent; airway complications
• ISSN: 0902-0063; 1399-0012; 1399-0012
• DOI: 10.1111/ctr.15289

Introduction
Treatment of post lung‐transplant airway complications is challenging, and treatment with conventional airway stents is associated with adverse events. More recently, biodegradable airway stents (BDS) have been introduced and may be used to reduce these adverse events. In this study we explore the feasibility of treatment with BDS post lung transplant.
Methods
All patients treated with BDS in The Netherlands were included in this retrospective multicenter study. Feasibility, life span of the stent, occurrence of adverse events, and evolution of lung function were evaluated.
Results
Twelve patients (six malacia and six stenosis) received a total of 57 BDS, ranging from 1 to 10 BDS per patient. Six patients had been pretreated with conventional airway stents. Median stent life span was 112 days (range 66–202). No adverse events occurred during stent placement. In 5 out of 57 stent placements, a single additional bronchoscopy was necessary because of mucus accumulation (n = 4) or excessive granulation tissue (n = 1). All stent naïve patients became airway stent independent after treatment; all patients pretreated with conventional airway stents were still airway stent dependent at the end of follow up.
Conclusion
Treatment with BDS is safe and feasible. Adverse events were mild and easily treatable. All patients with initial treatment with BDS were airway stent independent at the end of follow up with a median treatment of 4 BDS.