[Palliative treatment of inoperable esophageal stenoses using stents: long-term results, complications]

The authors evaluate the effectiveness of palliative treatment of inoperable oesophageal stenoses by means of self-expandable stents in a group of 102 patients and discuss complications. In all patients after implantation of the stent dysphagia improved by at least two degrees. Eighty nine patients of the group died, the mean period of survival was 107 days. At the time of evaluation 13 patients survive, the mean survival period being 175 days. As to complications the authors recorded incomplete expansion of the stent (n = 1), fissuring of the tumour (n = 1), migration of the stent (n = 8), oesophagorespiratory decubital fistula (n = 4), ingrowth of the tumour into the stent (n = 4), obstruction of the stent by food (n = 7) and arterial haemorrhage (n = 1). The effectiveness of palliative treatment of inoperable oesophageal stenoses by self-expanding stents is high and prompt. The total number of complications is 22%, the mortality after surgery is zero. The majority of complications is easily resolved by methods of interventional radiology.