Role of interventional pulmonology in intensive care units: A scoping review

Table 4 Airway stents

	Metallic endobronchial stent		Silicone endobronchial
	Covered	Uncovered
Indications	Malignant tracheobronchial obstruction. Prevention of tumor ingrowth. Tracheoesophageal fistulas	Limited uses due to significant potential complications. Anastomotic dehiscence following lung transplantation. Can be used for benign conditions, but only short term, however not first line	Benign airway stenosis. Post-lung transplant airway complications. Malignant airway obstruction (palliative)
Advantages	Prevents tumor ingrowth. Reduces risk of fistula formation. Can be placed with flexible bronchoscopy	Lower risk of migration than covered stents. Can be placed with flexible bronchoscopy. Preserve muco-ciliary function	Easily removable. Less granulation tissue formation compared to metallic stents. Can be used in benign disease. Can be customized during the procedure (i.e., cut to adjust length). Varying shapes, such as cylindrical, or Y-shaped
Disadvantages	Higher migration risk. May obstruct smaller airways or bronchi	Tumor or granulation tissue can grow through the stent, leading to restenosis. Black box warning in benign disease, due to tissue hyperplasia, embodiment in tissue, and consequent occlusion. Difficult to remove	Higher migration risk compared to metallic stents. Requires rigid bronchoscopy for placement