Lethal Complication of Postairway Stenting to Trachea and Left Main Bronchus: A Case Series with Discussion of the Diagnosis and Management

Abstract The insertion of a metallic airway stent is a valuable method for the treatment of benign and malignant airway stenosis and tracheoesophageal fistula. Although stenting for airway stenosis has become widely popular with favorable outcomes, several complications can arise after stenting, such as migration, tendency for stent fracture, and ingrowth of tumor or granulation tissue into the stent. Very few of these reports have described the complications of poststenting pneumothorax. We report the cases of three patients diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus, complicated by tracheoesophageal fistula, and treated with a tracheal stent or bronchial stent, who developed poststenting pneumothorax.