Patients suffering from severe tracheal collapse that are unresponsive to medications may greatly benefit from tracheal stenting. When medically appropriate, placement of a specially designed, flexible prosthesis “stent” inside the trachea provides internal support to the trachea thereby stabilizing the condition.
Specialized measurements are used to determine the appropriate size and length of the stent. Once in place the stent cannot be removed. The procedure can often be done under a single episode of anesthesia, but hospitalization for 1-2 nights is generally commonplace.
Not all patients are appropriate candidates for this procedure and careful selection is required.