Abstract
Tracheobronchomalacia (TBM), although uncommon, is increasingly recognized as a medical condition that may require treatment among patients with pulmonary disorders.1,2 The diagnosis of TBM is now often made on a CT scan done for reasons other than the confirmation of a suspected diagnosis of TBM. These “incidental” diagnoses of TBM need to be viewed with caution, as radiographic abnormalities do not always correlate with physiologic effects. TBM most often co-exists with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and it remains difficult to judge to what extent each diagnosis contributes to the symptoms of each patient. Typical symptoms that patients seek treatment for include dyspnea, cough, inability to clear secretions, and recurrent pulmonary infections. TBM can be treated by airway stent insertion (self-expanding metallic or silicone) or by membranous wall tracheobronchoplasty.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Carden KA, Boiselle PM, Waltz DA, Ernst A. Tracheomalacia and tracheobronchomalacia in children and adults. Chest. 2005;127:984–1005.
Kandaswamy C, Balasubramanian V. Review of adult tracheomalacia and its relationship with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Curr Opin Pulm Med. 2009;15:113–119.
Guyatt G, Guterman D, Baumann MH, Addrizzo-Harris D, Hylek EM, Phillips B, Raskob G, Lewis SZ, Schunemann H. Grading strength of recommendations and quality of evidence in clinical guidelines. Chest. 2006;129:174–181.
Madden BP, Loke TK, Sheth AC. Do expandable metallic airway stents have a role in the management of patients with benign tracheobronchial disease? Ann Thorac Surg. 2006;82:274–278.
Saad CP, Murthy S, Krizmanich G, Metha AC. Self-expandable metallic airway stents and flexible bronchoscopy: long term outcomes analysis. Chest. 2003;124:1993–1999.
Chan AL, Juarez MM, Allen RP, Albertson TE. Do airway metallic stents for benign disease confer too costly a benefit? BMC Pulm Med. 2008;8:7.
Gaissert HA, Grillo HC, Wright CD, Donahue DM, Wain JC, Mathisen DJ. Complications of benign tracheobronchial strictures by self-expanding stents. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 2003;126:744–747.
FDA public health notification: complicatsions from metallic tracheal stents in patients with benign airway disorders. Available at: www.fda.gov/cdrh/safety/072905-tracheal.html Accessed 23 November 2009.
Ernst A, Majid A, Feller-Kopman D, Guerrero J, Boiselle P, Loring SH, O’Donnell C, DeCamp M, Herth FJ, Gangadharan S, Ashiku S. Airway stabilization with silicone stents for treating adult tracheobronchomalacia. Chest. 2007;132:609–616.
Murgu SD, Colt HG. Complications of silicone stent insertion in patients with expiratory central airway collapse. Ann Thorac Surg. 2007;84:1870–1877.
Wright CD, Grillo HC, Hammoud ZT, Wain JC, Gaissert HA, Zaydfudim V, Mathisen DJ. Tracheoplasty for expiratory collapse of central airways. Ann Thorac Surg. 2005;80:259–266.
Majid A, Guerrero J, Gangadharan S, Feller-Kopman D, Boiselle P, DeCamp M, Ashiku S, Michaud G, Herth F, Ernst A. Tracheobronchoplasty for severe tracheobronchomalacia. Chest. 2008;134:801–807.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2011 Springer-Verlag London Limited
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Wright, C.D. (2011). Optimal Management of Malacic Airway Syndromes. In: Ferguson, M. (eds) Difficult Decisions in Thoracic Surgery. Springer, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-84996-492-0_41
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-84996-492-0_41
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, London
Print ISBN: 978-1-84996-364-0
Online ISBN: 978-1-84996-492-0
eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)