Single-center study on the effectiveness and safety of stent and occluder in the treatment of patients with secondary malignant airway-digestive fistula

<bold>Objective:</bold> The purpose of this study is to evaluate the safety and short-term postoperative efficacy of stent and occluder in the treatment of patients with secondary malignant airway-digestive tract fistula. <bold>Methods:</bold> 30 patients with secondary malignant airway-digestive fistula treated with stent and occluder from November 2019 to November 2022, including 23 patients in stent group and 7 patients in occluder group, were included in the study. The clinical data, endoscopic operation, lung infection control and the complications and patients' adverse reactions at 1-month, 6-month and 1-year were analyzed. <bold>Results:</bold> There was no significant difference in clinical data between the two groups (P>0.05). The average intraoperative time in the occluder group was (21.57±5.32)min and that in the stent group was (35.35±4.91)min. There was statistical difference between the two groups (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in the control of lung infections, and in the incidence rate of fistula-related complications between the two groups after 1 month, 6 months and 12 months of follow-up, but there was significant difference in the incidence rate of adverse reactions such as cough and chest pain. <bold>Conclusion:</bold> For patients with secondary malignant airway-digestive fistula, the occluder can be implanted quickly and conveniently under endoscope, and the adverse reactions of patients in the occluder group are less than those in the stent group. The curative effect is acceptable within one year, while the long-term effect remains to be explored.