The evaluation of esophageal stenting complications in palliative treatment of dysphagia related to esophageal cancer.

Esophageal cancer is the seventh-most frequent cause of cancer-related deaths and it is usually diagnosed at an inoperable stage. In palliative treatment, endoscopic and non-endoscopic methods are applied to reduce dysphagia in patients with neoplastic esophageal obstruction. Because of severe complications, non-endoscopic treatment (surgery, radiotherapy, brachytherapy and chemotherapy) is applied rarely. Within the endoscopic methods, only the use of endoprostheses yields long-term effects. The aim of this study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of implantation of self-expandable esophageal stents in palliative treatment of dysphagia related to esophageal cancer. A total number of 46 patients (41 males and 5 females) were qualified to palliative implantation of coated self-expandable stent. The mean age of the patients was 67 years (from 51 to 78 years). In all patients, Evolution-type coated self-expandable stents were used. In all cases, 24 hours after the implantation, radiological examination was performed to assess the stent location. Severe, possibly life-threatening, complications constituted 28% of all the complications and occurred in 9% of the patients. Less severe complications occurred in 17% of the observed patients and were not life-threatening. In patients with neoplastic esophageal stenosis, stenting with coated, self-expandable nitinol prostheses is a safe, effective and fast method of palliative dysphagia treatment.

Citation

Krzysztof Kujawski, Magdalena Stasiak, Jacek Rysz. The evaluation of esophageal stenting complications in palliative treatment of dysphagia related to esophageal cancer. Medical science monitor : international medical journal of experimental and clinical research. 2012 May;18(5):CR323-9

Mesh Tags

PMID: 22534713

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