Endoscopic therapy for malignant bowel obstruction

Mechanical obstruction is common in advanced gastrointestinal malignancies and may be associated with significant morbidity. Patients with malignant bowel obstruction are often poor surgical candidates due to advanced disease, malnutrition, hypoalbuminemia, and dehydration. Recent advances in endoscopy have led to a variety of highly efficacious, nonsurgical treatment options that relieve mechanical bowel obstruction. This articles reviews endoscopic techniques to treat malignant small bowel and colonic obstruction including decompression tubes, enteral stents, and ablative methods such as laser therapy and argon plasma coagulation.