Placement of self-expandable metallic stents with a laryngeal mask and a fiberoptic flexible bronchoscope for obstructive tracheobronchial lesions

Self-expandable metallic stents have been used in the management of malignant or benign tumors causing airway stenosis or obstruction by means of a rigid bronchoscope or fluoroscopic control.1 However, fully trained personnel are needed to manage the rigid bronchoscope, and the sites to be reached with it are limited. Additionally, mandibular arthrosis, or limited mouth opening, or spinal deformities might present technical problems with the rigid bronchoscope. On the other hand, it might often be difficult to achieve the exact fitting of the stent under fluoroscopic control. The laryngeal mask is a reusable device with a larger internal diameter, allowing easier passage of a fiberoptic flexible bronchoscope or instruments (Figure 1, A), and does not require the usual endotracheal intubation or mask ventilation.2-5 In this report we describe a procedure of inserting a self-expandable metallic stent under direct visual control with the use of the new laryngeal mask and a fiberoptic flexible bronchoscope in the management of tracheobronchial obstructive lesions.