Cryospray Therapy Versus Standard of Care for Benign Airway Stenosis (CryoStasis)

Airway obstruction is classified into two broad categories based on the underlying etiology: malignant and non-malignant processes. Benign central airway obstruction (BCAO), as the name suggests, is narrowing the tracheal lumen from causes unrelated to underlying endoluminal or extrathoracic cancers. One common mechanism is mechanical stress on the tracheal walls with post-intubated tracheal stenosis (PITS), post-tracheostomy tracheal stenosis (PTTS), and stenosis related to airway stents. Inflammatory disorders such as sarcoidosis, granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA), relapsing polychondritis (RPC), amyloidosis are frequently observed. Chronic atypical infections such as Tuberculosis have been implicated, especially in the developing world. Rarely an idiopathic form can develop in women's fifth decade of life, known as idiopathic laryngotracheal stenosis (ILTS).

First-line treatment for BCAO is dependent mainly on the complexity of stenosis. Tracheal sleeve resection with end-to-end anastomosis is recommended for patients with complex lesions and often is the only definitive treatment available for most patients. Bronchoscopic management has been recommended for simple lesions or patients that are not robust surgical candidates. However, the advances in both flexible and rigid bronchoscopic techniques have led to the treatment of more complex lesions. A multidisciplinary and multimodal approach is often necessary to achieve long-lasting airway lumen patency. Current bronchoscopic modalities include balloon dilation, argon plasma coagulation (APC), diode laser or monopolar cautery, stent placement, endoluminal steroids, antineoplastic agents, and Montgomery t-tube placement. Patients will likely need repeat procedures, which can be on the order of several weeks to years.

It is postulated that heat-based modalities may lead to thermal fixation of tissue with reparative healing and fibrotic scarring that may translate to the reoccurrence of fibrotic injury. In addition, using these modalities on patients with high intraoperative oxygen concentrations can lead to airway fires. Spray cryotherapy (SCT) utilizes liquid nitrogen in a metered fashion to flash freeze tissue with subsequent tissue necrosis that has many advantages that heat-based modalities can not offer. The truFreeze System (CSA Medical, Inc., Baltimore, MD, USA) utilizes liquid nitrogen through a 7-french catheter through the working channel of an endoscope. SCT works by rapidly releasing liquid state nitrogen stored at temperatures less than -196C in a circumferential dose area, leading to rapid hypothermic cell death on tissue. As a result, stenotic tissue undergoes intracellular ice crystal formation with eventual rupture and cell death. Unlike slow delivery of liquid nitrogen or contact probe freezing, this rapid expansion allows the extracellular matrix to be largely intact, thus facilitating wound healing without exuberant airway scar. Other potential benefits include using SCT with high oxygen concentrations, improved bleeding, use on materials that may be combustible such as airway stents, and studies showing improved balloon dilation with less chance of airway laceration.

The investigators hypothesize that the addition of SCT to standard endoscopic treatment modalities of BCAO will decrease stenosis recurrence at six months. The investigators plan to measure our primary outcome measure utilizing a novel noninvasive 3D volumetric tracheal reconstruction by CT scan. Secondary outcomes will include changes in symptoms based on a validated questionnaire, physiologic parameters of breathing, and changes in tracheal cell profile with SCT using single-cell RNA sequencing.

Randomization will occur in a 1:1 fashion, with the patients and outcome adjudicators blinded to the underlying intervention. Patients will have a thin cut CT scan within six weeks of the incident procedure, with pulmonary function testing and questionnaire administration within two weeks. The procedure will be done either with an interventional pulmonologist or otolaryngology, depending on the initial referral. General anesthesia is provided with either an endotracheal tube, laryngeal mask airway, rigid bronchoscope, or dedo laryngoscope, depending on the operator's preference and lesion location. The standard of care group will undergo radial cut incisions into the circumferential lesion followed by balloon dilation. The intervention group will undergo two cycles up to 10 second spray time of SCT, followed by radial cuts and balloon dilation. A final spray will be performed after with a standard freeze-thaw cycle. Five patients with idiopathic subglottic stenosis will undergo cryobiopsy. These samples will be compared with controls for changes in cellular profile.

Patients will undergo a thin cut CT scan within 6 weeks after the procedure with repeat physiological parameters and a questionnaire. This CT will act as the personal best to compare to the final CT scan. Finally, at six months, the investigators will repeat these measures with a final CT scan. Throughout the follow-up period, patients will be given access to a mobile application program that will help patients self-monitor peak expiratory flows. If patients undergo a repeat procedure before the 6-month CT, they will be analyzed in an early reintervention subgroup.