Table 1.

Characteristics of studies.

Study	References	Span of time	Stent material	Suture method
1	DiBardino et al. (7)	Between July 2012 and July 2018.	Uncovered metal stent (UCMS), Covered metal stent (CMS), Silicone stent.	NA
2	Kapoor et al. (19)	From 1992 to 2003.	Self-expanding, non-covered metallic stents.	NA
3	Thistlethwaite et al. (20)	Between January of 1996 and December of 2007.	Silicone stent.	End-to-end technique using a continuous nonabsorbable monofilament (3–0 polypropylene) suture
4	Ma et al. (21)	Between October 2012 and October 2017.	UCMS, CMS, Silicone stent.	NA
5	Dutau et al. (11)	Between January 1997 and December 2007.	Silicone stent.	NA
6	Fernandez-Bussy et al. (23)	Between February 2007 and April 2008.	A fully covered, self-expanding, hybrid nitinol stent.	End-to-end anastomoses with continuous sutures.
7	Izhakian et al. (24)	Between January 2002 and January 2018.	Self-expandable metal stent (61 SMART and 2 PALMAZ)	NA
8	Abdel-Rahman et al. (25)	Between January 1997 and March 2013	Self-expanding metal stent	Absorbable suture material polydioxanone (PDS, Ethicon, Inc., NJ, USA) was used. A continuous suture of the membranous wall (PDS, 4/0) and end-to-end anastomosis with interrupted single sutures (PDS, 3/0) of the cartilaginous part was performed. The first suture to unite the cartilaginous parts was placed in the middle of the circumference to achieve optimal size matching. In none of the patients, a viable tissue patch was used.
9	Saad et al. (3)	Between January 1992 and November 2001.	Self-expandable metallic stent (10 WS and 5 UF)	NA
10	Gottlieb et al. (16)	Between January 1998 and February 2008.	Self-expanding metal stent (91% uncovered and 9% covered)	NA
11	Sundset et al. (26)	Between 1990 and 2008.	Silicone stents (Hood or Dumont type)	Reconstruction of the airway was performed with continuous polypropylene stitch until 1996. Thereafter interrupted stitches on the cartilaginous part and running polydioxanone (PDS) stitches on the membranous part were used. Soft tissues were respected and anastomosis was performed on the cartilaginous ring proximal to the upper lobe bronchus or above the tracheal carina. An intercostal bundle wrap was used initially on unilateral procedures but was later abandoned. No bronchial artery revascularization was performed.
12	Susanto et al. (27)	Between December 1988 and January 1997	Balloon-expandable metallic stent	All patients underwent the same surgical technique regarding the bronchial anastomosis
13	Lischke et al. (13)	Between 2006 and 2010.	Novel biodegradable stents.	The absorbable suture material PDS (Ethicon Inc., NJ, USA) was used. A continuous suture of the membranous wall (PDS, 4/0) and end-to-end anastomosis with interrupted single sutures (PDS, 4/0) of the cartilaginous part were performed. No telescoping was used.
14	Burns et al. (14)	Between February 1996 and April 1999.	Self-expanding metal stents.	NA
15	Bolot et al. (15)	Between August 1991 and October 1995.	Self-expanding metallic stents.	NA
16	Anile et al. (28)	NA	Self-expandable metallic stents	NA
17	Fonseca et al. (29)	Between August 2003 and April 2014	Self-expansible metallic stents made of Nitinol	Continuous sutures in the membranous wall and separate stitches in the anterolateral wall of the bronchi with the use of 4–0 nonabsorbable monofilament polypropylene thread

NA, not available.