Modified silicone hourglass stents for the treatment of benign subglottic stenosis: a case series

Benign subglottic stenosis has been a challenging illness to treat and manage in clinical because of its special anatomical location, and easy recurrence of the condition, which can cause life-threatening asphyxia. For patients who are not suitable for surgery or in urgent need of preoperative transitional treatment, respiratory endoscopy-guided stent placement becomes an alternative treatment option. Clinical data were collected from four patients who received treatment at the Jining First People's Hospital due to benign subglottic stenosis, which was achieved after tracheal intubation/tracheotomy. All patients were male, admitted with shortness of breath, with an average of 45±8.95 years. Among them, three patients refused the surgery, and one patient was unable to tolerate the surgery. Despite repeated intervention under bronchoscopy, airway stability was still not maintained. By inserting modified hourglass silicone stents, the patient's symptoms were improved and the clinical efficacy was satisfactory. Regular follow-up showed good stent position and no granulomatous growth at the ends of the stents. This is an initial report of improved hourglass stents used for the treatment of benign subglottic airway stenosis. In these cases, the modified hourglass stents had good efficacy and fewer complications and were also accepted by patients.