RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Bacterial Colonization of Airway Stents and The Effect of Colonization on Stent Course JF European Respiratory Journal JO Eur Respir J FD European Respiratory Society SP 1193 DO 10.1183/13993003.congress-2020.1193 VO 56 IS suppl 64 A1 Binnaz Zeynep Yildirim A1 Elif Tanriverdi A1 Demet Turan A1 Efsun Gonca Chousein A1 Mehmet Akif Ozgul A1 Erdogan Cetinkaya YR 2020 UL http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/56/suppl_64/1193.abstract AB Introduction: Airway stents are used in central airway obstructions.Granulation and secretion retention are well documented but only a few studies focus on bacterial colonization of stents(Noppen,M.et al.Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 1999 Aug;160(2):672-7). Our aim is to investigate bacterial colonization and its effect on complications, hospitalization, emergency visits and mortality.Material and Method: Stent patients between January 2018- January 2019 and who had at least one follow-up bronchoscopy were recorded.Bacterial cultures, complications,1 year emergency visits,hospitalization and mortality rates were recorded.Results: Average age of the 48 patients was 60±1,5. 31 (64,5%) were male.Stent indications were airway obstruction due to carcinoma in 27 patients, postentubation stenosis in 15 and tracheobronchomalasia in 2.Tracheal Y-stent,stenotic, tubular and Oki stents were placed in 30,13,3 and 1 patients, respectively.29(60,4%) patients either had no positive culture(5) or one pathogen(24).19(39,6%) had positive cultures for more than 1 pathogen.The most common bacteria was Pseudomonas aeruginosa (45,8%).Granulation was seen in all patients regardless of bacterial results.There was no significant difference in mortality, emergency visits and hospitalization between patients with<2 and ≥2 pathogens(p=0,51).Oral antibiotics had no effect on following cultures.Conclusion: No correlation could be seen between hospitalization, emergency visits, mortality and stent colonization.In the absence of signs and symptoms of infection, routine bacterial cultures seem unnecessary and not cost-effective.Even if colonization is detected, the need for treatment is debatable and requires further investigation.FootnotesCite this article as: European Respiratory Journal 2020; 56: Suppl. 64, 1193.This abstract was presented at the 2020 ERS International Congress, in session “Respiratory viruses in the "pre COVID-19" era”.This is an ERS International Congress abstract. No full-text version is available. Further material to accompany this abstract may be available at www.ers-education.org (ERS member access only).