Table 4.

Potential complications of airway stents

Mucostasis	Most common complication due to impaired mucociliary clearance and tendency for mucus impaction; long-term mucolytic therapy important
Granulation tissue formation	Localized inflammatory response, which may require debulking or steroid injection; most common at proximal and distal stent margins
Bacterial overgrowth	Biofilm formation common, associated with Staphyloccoccus and Pseudomonas, may require prolonged antibiotics or stent removal/replacement
Migration	More common with silicone stents and fully covered SEMASs Anterior wall suture insertion may be required if high risk
Fracture/fatigue	Rare but due to forces sustained during coughing; some alloys may be less resilient but newer nitinol alloy SEMAS show greater elasticity and durability
Bronchovascular fistula	Rare but possibly more common in specific stent cases with close proximity to hilar and pulmonary anatomy
Airway wall perforation	Less common, previously seen more so with bare metal and firstgeneration SEMASs