Bronchial stenosis treatment after lung transplantation with a self-expandable silicone stent.

Airway complications continue to be an important source of morbidity and mortality following lung transplantation, and bronchial stenosis is the most common manifestation. Such complications have been reported to occur in up to 27% of cases, and 13% of all transplanted patients may require interventional bronchoscopy for treatment. These complications have been attributed to an insufficient blood supply to the donor tracheobronchial tree, promoting ischemia and consequently leading to anastomotic dehiscence, malacia, or stenosis. Significant airway stenosis causes respiratory symptoms, decrease in lung function, and other complications, such as mucus retention and infection. Recently a novel thinwalled silicone self-expandable stent (Polyflex) has been used to treat tracheal stenosis and tracheo-esophageal fistulas. We report a case of treating bronchial stenosis after single lung transplantation using the Polyflex stent.