Non-malignant central airway obstruction.

Abstract

The most common causes of non-malignant central airway obstruction are post-intubation and post-tracheostomytracheal stenosis, followed by the presence of foreign bodies, benign endobronchial tumours and tracheobronchomalacia. Other causes, such as infectious processes or systemic diseases, are less frequent. Despite the existence of numerous classification systems, a consensus has not been reached on the use of any one of them in particular. A better understanding of the pathophysiology of this entity has allowed us to improve diagnosis and treatment. For the correct diagnosis of nonspecific clinical symptoms, pulmonary function tests, radiological studies and, more importantly, bronchoscopy must be performed. Treatment must be multidisciplinary and tailored to each patient, and will require surgery or endoscopic intervention using thermoablative and mechanical techniques.