Results
54 PDO stents were placed in 26 patients (median age, 4 m). All showed severe symptoms of central airway obstruction due to: tracheomalacia 9 patients, bronchomalacia 5, tracheobronchomalacia 10, and tracheal stenosis 2. Stent placement was uneventful in every case: 29 stents in the trachea and 25 in main bronchi. 53,8% of patients needed successive stenting and all exhibited comorbidities. Complete clinical resolution was observed in 8 cases (30.7%), partial improvement in 13 (50%), unchanged in 4 (15.3%), and worsen in one. Age had a significant positive impact in outcome (6 months vs 3 m.; p=0.024). Additionally, smaller stents were associated with a better outcome (20 vs 26 mm; p=0.044). Granulation tissue was the most frequent complication (34.6%). Five patients (19.2%) died due to severe comorbidities, follow-up was complete in survivors (median, 58 m).