[Palliative treatment of malignant dysphagia]

In a group of 56 patients with inoperable carcinoma of the esophagus treated at the authors' department during the last five years the authors analyse the possibilities of palliative treatment of dysphagia. As a criterion of success they consider life-long restoration of comfortable swallowing achieved during short-term hospitalisation with rapid return of the patient to home care. In the authors' opinion none of the methods is universal. Therefore it is important that a patient with carcinoma of the esophagus should be treated in a department which is familiar with the whole range of the problem.