Palliative intubation in malignant stricture of the oesophagus and cardia

One-hundred patients treated with oesophageal intubation for stricture-forming inoperable oesophago-gastric malignancies during the years 1972 to 1983 were analyzed. Fifteen tubes were endoscopically positioned, the rest by thoracotomy or laparotomy. Seven patients died from causes related to the intubation, the causes of death being perforation (2), mediastinitis (3) or aortic erosion (2). Mean survival-time was three months (range one day to 14 months). Nineteen of the most deteriorated patients died within two weeks. Eighty-seven percent of the patients experienced relief of dysphagia. Thus the intended palliation was satisfactory and the results therefore support oesophageal intubation as an alternative to be considered in the treatment of malignancies of the oesophagus and cardia. However, deteriorated patients with extremely short life expectancy might not benefit from the procedure.