Stenting as a Bridge to Surgery for Obstructive Colon Cancer: Does It Have Surgical Merit or Oncologic Demerit?

To evaluate the surgical and oncologic outcomes of patients undergoing self-expandable metallic stent (SEMS) placement with elective curative surgery.

Data from patients admitted with obstructing colon cancer between 2000 and 2012 were analyzed retrospectively. Patients underwent either SEMS placement as a bridge to surgery (stent group, n = 67) or emergency surgery (surgery group, n = 35). Surgical and oncologic outcomes of the groups were compared.

Placement of SEMS was technically successful in 98.5% and clinically successful in 89.6% of cases. There were eight (11.9%) stent-related complications, including three migrations (4.5%), four occlusions (6.0%), and one perforation (1.5%). The stent group had a higher laparoscopic resection rate (67.2 vs. 31.4%, p = 0.001) with a lower conversion rate (4.3 vs. 35.3%, p = 0.003). The wound infection rate was significantly higher in the surgery group (37.1 vs. 11.9%, p = 0.003) with no differences in the rate of other complications. The rates of local recurrence and distant metastasis, recurrence-free, and overall survival were not significantly different between the two groups.

Stenting and elective surgery was associated with a higher laparoscopy rate, a lower conversion rate, and a lower wound infection rate compared to emergency surgery but did not affect recurrence or survival.