Kolkata: Manipal Hospital, Broadway—a unit of one of India’s largest healthcare networks, Manipal Hospitals—has successfully managed a rare and high-risk airway stent complication in a 47-year-old woman from Murshidabad.
The patient arrived in severe respiratory distress after undergoing multiple procedures at private hospitals in Kolkata. Her condition was critical: the airway had narrowed drastically, requiring BiPAP support, a rice tube, and catheterization. On further examination, doctors discovered that a previously inserted tracheal stent had shifted, becoming lodged deeper into the airway and obstructing breathing. Conventional bronchoscopy had failed due to the extreme narrowing, and a tracheostomy was also necessary to sustain life.
Under the leadership of Dr. Debraj Jash, HOD – Pulmonology, Manipal Hospital Broadway, a multidisciplinary team performed a complex intervention. Initial balloon dilation was attempted to widen the airway, but the displaced stent continued to block airflow. The team then employed an advanced net-like retrieval device to carefully extract the stent. Once removed, the airway was successfully dilated, restoring normal breathing.
“This was an extremely difficult and high-risk case,” said Dr. Jash. “The airway was critically constricted, and the dislocated stent added further danger. With meticulous planning, multidisciplinary collaboration, and advanced technology, we were able to retrieve the stent and secure the patient’s airway.”
The patient, Karuna Saha (name changed), who had been struggling for weeks, expressed relief:
“I had been going from one hospital to another with no relief. At Manipal Hospital Broadway, I finally found hope. I am deeply grateful to Dr. Jash and his team for giving me back my ability to breathe.”
Today, she has moved from total dependence on life-support systems to walking independently—a remarkable turnaround.
This case underscores Manipal Hospital Broadway’s expertise in managing rare, life-threatening airway emergencies and its commitment to delivering cutting-edge, patient-centered care.
