[Personal experience with palliative endoscopic treatment of stenoses in the upper gastrointestinal tract]

The authors discuss the endoscopic approach to stenoses in the area of the oesophagus and cardia in patients with contraindication of radical surgery. They describe the method of treatment with regard to the type and character of the stenosis. The work is based on 10 years experience with palliative endoscopic treatment of benign and malignant stenoses of the upper GIT. During this period more than 800 dilatations were made, 150 oesophageal prostheses were introduced and during the past two years 25 metallic stents.