Delayed bronchial obstruction following esophageal stent placement: A case report and review of the literature

Esophageal adenocarcinoma typically has a poor prognosis at the time of diagnosis. Consequently, palliation of symptoms is vital to disease management with a cornerstone for palliation being esophageal stent placement. Esophageal stents are associated with a variety of complications that may present immediately or long after stent placement is completed. In this report, we present a 58-year-old male who developed shortness of breath 4 months after metallic esophageal stent placement. After further evaluation with a chest radiograph and CT angiogram of the chest, the patient was found to have obstruction of the left mainstem bronchus secondary to mass effect from the esophageal stent. Airway compromise secondary to metallic esophageal stent placement typically occurs immediately after placement of the stent. There are only a few documented cases of this complication occurring at a delayed interval. This case clearly demonstrates this rare complication of esophageal stent placement in the setting of esophageal adenocarcinoma.