Many diseases or disease complications can narrow or block your airway. This can make you feel short of breath. A stent is a hollow tube that can be placed in your airway to open the narrowed area and help you breathe.

The stent can be placed in either your trachea or your bronchi, depending where the narrow area is. Your trachea is the tube that carries air from your nose and mouth into your lungs. Your bronchi are tubes that branch off your trachea and lead to different areas of your lungs.

Stents can be made of different materials, such as metal or silicone. They also come in different sizes and shapes. They can be temporary or permanent. A computed tomography (CT) scan and a bronchoscopy will help your doctor decide which type will most help you. During a bronchoscopy, your doctor will put a flexible camera called a bronchoscope though your nose or mouth, into your trachea or bronchi. This will let them see inside your airways while they’re placing the stent. You won’t have a surgical cut. Most people go home the same day that the stent is placed.