Outcome of patients after endoluminal stent placement for benign colorectal obstruction

Self-expanding metal stents (SEMS) have been successfully used as a "bridge to surgery" or as palliation for acute malignant colorectal obstruction. Little data on the use of stents for benign obstruction exists and the results vary. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of SEMS in benign colorectal obstruction.

A total of 21 patients with 23 SEMS procedures between the years 1998 and 2008 were retrospectively studied. Eight patients had an obstruction in the surgical anastomosis. In addition, there were two patients with anastomotic strictures due to Crohn's disease. In 10 patients the obstruction was caused by diverticular disease and one patient had a stricture after radiation therapy.

Technical success was achieved for all the patients. Clinical success was achieved for 76% (16/21) of the patients. The anastomotic strictures were resolved with SEMS in 5 out of 8 cases (63%). Three patients with diverticular stricture (30%) were eventually resolved with SEMS. Nine (43%) patients in 10 out of 23 procedures (43%) had a complication, the majority being in patients with diverticular stricture.

SEMS is a good treatment option for patients with anastomotic stricture of the colon and for patients with benign colonic stricture who are unfit for surgery. SEMS can be used as a bridge to surgery in diverticular obstruction but there seems to be a considerable risk of complications. If a SEMS is placed into a diverticular stricture, the planned bowel resection should be performed within a month.