Bronchial Stents may be necessary in patients with lung cancer or pulmonary diseases to help make it possible to breath normally without the airway being hindered or obstructed. In order to restore normal breathing and comfort, tiny tubes made of silicone, metal or hybrid materials are implanted. These stents function to allow the patient to breathe normally and guard against future obstruction or blockage.
Prior to surgery, your doctor will likely recommend:
Bronchial stents are typically placed using a long metal tube called a bronchoscope that is inserted in your mouth.
After removing any tissue that may be blocking your airway, your doctor will insert the stent and put it in proper position. Once correctly placed, the stent will be opened along with your airway.
The bronchoscope is removed once the stent is in place and you are breathing normally.
Bronchial stent placement using silicon is performed under general anesthesia. Metal stents can be placed using conscious sedation.
Recovery time will vary based on the patient, the type of stent and specific disease being treated. For silicone stents, you may need to spend several days in the hospital since you will be under anesthesia. For metallic stents that only require conscious sedation, your stay may only be limited to a few hours.
