Self-expendable metallic stents for palliative treatment of malignant esophagogastric strictures: experiences in 103 patients

To evaluate the effects and complication of self-expandable metallic stent for the treatment of malignant esophagogastric strictures. From September 1991 to March 1995, 110 stents were placed under fluoroscopic guidance in 103 patients. Of the 103 patients, there were 73 patients with esophageal cancer, 14 patients with gastric cancer, 12 patients with recurrence after surgery, three patients with esophageal compression by metastatic mediastinal lymphadenopathy, and one patient with esophageal invasion by lung cancer. Seventeen patients had esophagorespiratory fistulas. Under fluoroscopic guidance, 113 self-expandable metallic stents (99 Song stents, 14 Strecker stents) were placed in 103 patients. After stent placement, 68 (66%) of the patients could ingest solid food, 26 (25.2%) could ingest soft food whereas three (2.9%) were not able to have food. Esophagorespiratory fistulas were occluded immediately after stent insertion. All stents were placed without any technical failures or procedural morbidity or mortality. Complications included restenosis in 13, gastroesophageal reflux in 11, stent tube migration in eight, massive bleeding in four, delayed esophageal perforation in one, stent obstruction by food impaction in one patient. Self-expandable metallic stent seems to be relatively safe and effective procedure in the palliative treatment of malignant esophagogastric stricture