RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Metallic stent and flexible bronchoscopy without fluoroscopy for acute respiratory failure JF European Respiratory Journal JO Eur Respir J FD European Respiratory Society SP 1019 OP 1023 DO 10.1183/09031936.00099507 VO 31 IS 5 A1 S-M. Lin A1 T-Y. Lin A1 C-L. Chou A1 H-C. Chen A1 C-Y. Liu A1 C-H. Wang A1 H-C. Lin A1 C-T. Yu A1 K-Y. Lee A1 H-P. Kuo YR 2008 UL http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/31/5/1019.abstract AB Stent implantation has been reported to facilitate liberation from mechanical ventilation in patients with respiratory failure due to central airway disease. The present retrospective cohort study sought to evaluate the risk and benefit of stent implantation via bronchoscopy without fluoroscopic guidance in mechanically ventilated patients. From July 2001 to September 2006, 26 patients with acute respiratory failure were recruited. A bronchoscope was inserted through a mouth guard into the space between the tracheal wall and the endotracheal tube. A guide wire was inserted via the flexible bronchoscope to the lesion site. The bronchoscope was reintroduced through the endotracheal tube. Under bronchoscopic visualisation, the delivery catheter was advanced over the guide wire to deploy the stent. These procedures were successfully performed in 26 patients, with 22 stents placed in the trachea and seven in the main bronchus. Of the 26 patients, 14 (53.8%) became ventilator independent during their stay in the intensive care unit. Severe pneumonia was the most common cause, in seven (58.3%) out of 12 patients, for continued ventilator dependence after stenting. Granulation tissue formation was found in seven patients during the follow-up period. It is concluded that metallic stents can be safely implanted without fluoroscopic guidance in patients with respiratory failure, to facilitate ventilator independence.