Rigid bronchoscopy and Y-stent for severe central malignant airway obstruction as a bridge to surgery requiring general anaesthesia.

A female patient in her 30s with a history of asthma presented with a chronic cough, worsening dyspnoea, dysphagia and a painless neck lump. Ultrasound revealed enlarged cervical lymph nodes and chest X-ray showed a large anterior mediastinal mass causing central airway obstruction. CT confirmed the mass partially encasing the superior vena cava. Due to concerns of airway collapse during surgery, interventional pulmonologists placed a silicone Y stent to restore airway patency before induction of anaesthesia for surgical lymph node biopsy. The excisional biopsy confirmed classic Hodgkin's lymphoma. The patient underwent chemotherapy (ABVD regimen) and had the stent removed after 2 months. She is in remission and continues follow-up.