Result of airway reconstruction by slide tracheobronchoplasty in children with congenital heart diseases and severe airway stenosis at Hanoi Heart Hospital: A series case report

Congenital airway stenosis (tracheobronchial stenosis) in children is rare, difficult to treat and become more complex when associated with congenital heart defects. In severe airway stenosis, slide tracheobronchoplasty is the most optimal strategy to manage this condition, yet really challenging. We report case series with this combined condition of airway stenosis and congenital heart diseases, which were successfully treated by slide tracheobronchoplasty with concomitant heart repair. We also discuss about the indication, surgical technique as well as postoperative care.

Anesthetic management of a patient with airway stenosis due to a giant goiter and severe pulmonary hypertension: A case report

Anesthetic management of patients with severe pulmonary hypertension combined with a difficult airway is challenging. The present case suggests that the use of venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation is useful for safe anesthetic management.

Sequential Treatment of Severe Airway Stenosis Caused by Esophageal Cancer by Using Airway Stent Implantation and Arterial Infusion Chemotherapy

Purpose: This study was aimed at investigating the safety and efficacy of airway stent implantation and transarterial infusion chemotherapy for the treatment of severe airway stenosis caused by esophageal cancer. Methods: Data of patients with advanced esophageal cancer complicated by severe airway stenosis treated with airway stent implantation and transarterial infusion chemotherapy were retrospectively analyzed. Furthermore, dyspnea, clinical efficacy, adverse reactions, and survival were evaluated. Results: Of the 71 patients included, 28, 43, 34, 35, and 2 patients had grade III dyspnea, grade IV dyspnea before airway stenting, grade I dyspnea, grade III dyspnea, and grade III dyspnea after airway stenting, respectively. After airway stent implantation and 1–3 courses of transarterial infusion chemotherapy, complete response, partial response, and stable disease were noted in 11, 41, and 19 patients, respectively. Total objective response rate (ORR) and disease control rate (DCR) were 73.2% and 100.0%, respectively. During follow-up, 32, 24, and 10 patients died of organ failure, tumor-related respiratory failure, and gastrointestinal bleeding, respectively. The median survival time was 8 months, and the 1-year survival rate was 40.8%.Conclusions: Airway stent implantation combined with arterial infusion chemotherapy is safe and effective in the sequential treatment of esophageal cancer with severe airway stenosis.

β-elemene alleviates airway stenosis via the ILK/Akt pathway modulated by MIR143HG sponging miR-1275

Background We have previously found that β-elemene could inhibit the viability of airway granulation fibroblasts and prevent airway hyperplastic stenosis. This study aimed to elucidate the underlying mechanism and protective efficacy of β-elemene in vitro and in vivo. Methods Microarray and bioinformatic analysis were used to identify altered pathways related to cell viability in a β-elemene-treated primary cell model and to construct a β-elemene-altered ceRNA network modulating the target pathway. Loss of function and gain of function approaches were performed to examine the role of the ceRNA axis in β-elemene's regulation of the target pathway and cell viability. Additionally, in a β-elemene-treated rabbit model of airway stenosis, endoscopic and histological examinations were used to evaluate its therapeutic efficacy and further verify its mechanism of action. Results The hyperactive ILK/Akt pathway and dysregulated LncRNA-MIR143HG, which acted as a miR-1275 ceRNA to modulate ILK expression, were suppressed in β-elemene-treated airway granulation fibroblasts; β-elemene suppressed the ILK/Akt pathway via the MIR143HG/miR-1275/ILK axis. Additionally, the cell cycle and apoptotic phenotypes of granulation fibroblasts were altered, consistent with ILK/Akt pathway activity. In vivo application of β-elemene attenuated airway granulation hyperplasia and alleviated scar stricture, and histological detections suggested that β-elemene's effects on the MIR143HG/miR-1275/ILK axis and ILK/Akt pathway were in line with in vitro findings. Conclusions MIR143HG and ILK may act as ceRNA to sponge miR-1275. The MIR143HG/miR-1275/ILK axis mediates β-elemene-induced cell cycle arrest and apoptosis of airway granulation fibroblasts by modulating the ILK/Akt pathway, thereby inhibiting airway granulation proliferation and ultimately alleviating airway stenosis.