Treatment of malignant esophageal obstructions with covered metallic Z stents: long-term results in 52 patients

Chinese expert consensus on diagnosis and management of acquired respiratory-digestive tract fistulas

Acquired respiratory‐digestive tract fistulas occur with abnormal communication between the airways and digestive tract, causing the interflow of gas and liquid. Despite advances in surgical methods and the development of multimodal therapy in recent years, patients with acquired respiratory‐digestive tract fistulas continue to exhibit unfavorable clinical outcomes. Therefore, in order to guide clinical practice in China, the Respiratory and Cancer Intervention Alliance of the Beijing Health Promotion Association organized a group of experienced experts in the field to develop this consensus document. Based on a study of clinical application and expert experience in the diagnosis and management of acquired respiratory‐digestive tract fistulas at home and abroad, an Expert Consensus was developed. The panelists recruited comprised experts in pulmonology, oncology, thoracic surgery, interventional radiology, and gastroenterology. PubMed, Chinese Biology Abstract, Chinese Academic Journal, and Wanfang databases were used to identify relevant articles. The guidelines address etiology, classification, pathogenesis, diagnosis and management of acquired respiratory‐digestive tract fistulas. The statements on treatment focus on the indications for different procedures, technical aspects, and preprocedural, post‐procedural and complication management. The proposed guidelines for the diagnosis and management of acquired respiratory‐digestive tract fistulas are the first to be published by Chinese experts. These guidelines provide an in‐depth review of the current evidence and standard of diagnosis and management.

Safety and efficacy of airway stenting in patients with malignant oesophago-airway fistula

Background

Close anatomical relationships between the oesophagus and the bronchial tree can lead to the formation of oesophageal fistula particularly in patients with advanced lung or oesophageal carcinoma. Stenting is a most often used treatment in such patients, but data regarding the relative value of unilateral (US) vs. double stenting (DS) are scarce.

Methods

Retrospective analysis of hospital records of patients with oesophageal fistula who underwent stenting between 2008 and 2016. In those in whom airway stenosis was >30%, double stenting (oesophagus and bronchial tree) was performed, whereas in those with lesser airway stenosis unilateral stenting (i.e., oesophagus only) was performed. In all patients, the degree of dysphagia, the degree of dyspnoea and the quality of life were assessed before and after the stenting.

Results

There were 46 patients, analysed, including 26 who underwent DS and 20 patients who underwent US. Both, DS and US resulted in significant improvement of dysphagia (2.72 vs. 1.2, P=0.0001 and 2.65 vs. 1.0, P=0.0001), dyspnoea (2.89 vs. 0.34, P=0.0001 and 1.71 vs. 0.09, P=0.0001) and performance score (53.2 vs. 66.3, P=0.0001 and 54.3 vs. 62.38, P=0.0001). Neither fistula type, nor stenting method, weight loss and gain, and BMI, had an effect on survival (P=0.34). Disease progression and recurrence of fistula requiring re-intervention occurred in 9 patients (19.5%).

Conclusions

Double and unilateral stenting is an effective measure to alleviate dysphagia and dyspnoea in patients treated with malignant oesophageal fistula. In those with airway stenosis of ≤30%, stenting of the oesophagus only, instead of DS, is a safe method of treatment.

Late Aortic Arch Perforation by Graft-Anchoring Stent: Complication of Endovascular Thoracic Aneurysm Exclusion

Purpose:

To describe a fatal case of late aortic perforation by an endograft-anchoring stent.

Methods and Results:

A 69-year-old woman presented 2 years after thoracoabdominal aneurysm repair with a 9-cm dilatation of the descending thoracic aorta proximal to the conventional aortic graft. A 38-mm Dacron graft with multiple Gianturco Z-stents sutured inside was placed transluminally across the aortic arch such that part of the uncovered portion of the proximal stent was partially across the left subclavian orifice. Four months later, the patient died from massive hemorrhage. Autopsy showed that the uncovered portion of the proximal stent had perforated the aortic arch.

Conclusions:

This case stresses the need for low-profile stent-grafts and smaller, more flexible introducer systems. Anchoring stents must be flexible, less traumatic, and strong enough to create a watertight seal even in tortuous vessels. To avoid aortic arch damage by thoracic stent-grafts, the proximal stent should be fully covered by the fabric.

Stenting of the upper gastrointestinal tract: current status

Minimally invasive image-guided insertion of self-expanding metal stents in the upper gastrointestinal tract is the current treatment of choice for palliation of malignant esophageal or gastroduodenal outlet obstructions. A concise review is presented of contemporary stenting practice of the upper gastrointestinal tract, and the procedures in terms of appropriate patient evaluation, indications, and contraindications for treatment are analyzed, along with available stent designs, procedural steps, clinical outcomes, inadvertent complications, and future technology. Latest developments include biodegradable polymeric stents for benign disease and radioactive or drug-eluting stents for malignant obstructions.

Interventional management of esophagorespiratory fistula

An esophagorespiratory fistula (ERF) is an often fatal consequence of esophageal or bronchogenic carcinomas. The preferred treatment is placement of esophageal and/or airway stents. Stent placement must be performed as quickly as possible since patients with ERFs are at a high risk for aspiration pneumonia. In this review, choice of stents and stenting area, fistula reopening and its management, and the long-term outcome in the interventional management of malignant ERFs are considered. Lastly, a review of esophagopulmonary fistulas will also be provided.

Self-expandable metallic stents for palliative treatment of digestive cancer

BACKGROUND/GOAL: Self-expandable metallic stents can be used to reestablish luminal continuity in patients with malignancy of the esophagus, gastric outlet, or colon who are at high risk for surgical intervention. Data regarding their complication profiles remain incomplete. Our aim was to evaluate the feasibility and complications of endoscopic stenting in esophageal, gastroduodenal, and colonic malignancies.

STUDY

Between January 2003 and December 2005, 153 patients underwent 182 endoscopic procedures for insertion of 199 metallic stents in a single referral center. Complications were assessed retrospectively.

RESULTS

The mean follow-up was 170 days. The mortality was 73.9% (113 patients), 105 cases between 1 and 60 weeks after the procedure (median survival, 17 wk), but none directly related to the stent placement. One single stent was required in 115 (75%) patients, and 37 (24.2%) cases required an overlapping stent. The procedure was unsuccessful in only 1 case of colonic obstruction. Thirty-eight (26.6%) patients developed 52 complications, of which 16 (9.4%) procedure-related complications (perforation, 5; migration, 5; obstruction, 3; misplacement, 2; and hemorrhage, 1) and 36 (21.3%) late complications (obstruction, 20; migration, 9; fistula, 6; and perforation, 1). Eight (5.6%) patients experienced more than 1 complication. Five (3.5%) cases required surgery (colon: 2 perforations, 1 fistula, and 1 obstruction; esophagus: 1 perforation). No significant difference on the complication rates was found for any site in which a metallic stent was inserted.

CONCLUSIONS

Endoscopic stenting for palliation of digestive cancer, despite a reasonable complication rate, is feasible in most patients. Most dysfunctions are not life-threatening and can be managed endoscopically.

Airway and esophageal stenting in patients with advanced esophageal cancer and pulmonary involvement

Background

Most inoperable patients with esophageal-advanced cancer (EGC) have a poor prognosis. Esophageal stenting, as part of a palliative therapy management has dramatically improved the quality of live of EGC patients. Airway stenting is generally proposed in case of esophageal stent complication, with a high failure rate. The study was conducted to assess the efficacy and safety of scheduled and non-scheduled airway stenting in case of indicated esophageal stenting for EGC.

Methods and Findings

The study is an observational study conducted in pulmonary and gastroenterology endoscopy units. Consecutive patients with EGC were referred to endoscopy units. We analyzed the outcome of airway stenting in patients with esophageal stent indication admitted in emergency or with a scheduled intervention. Forty-four patients (58±\−8 years of age) with esophageal stenting indication were investigated. Seven patients (group 1) were admitted in emergency due to esophageal stent complication in the airway (4 fistulas, 3 cases with malignant infiltration and compression). Airway stenting failed for 5 patients. Thirty-seven remaining patients had a scheduled stenting procedure (group 2): stent was inserted for 13 patients with tracheal or bronchial malignant infiltration, 12 patients with fistulas, and 12 patients with airway extrinsic compression (preventive indication). Stenting the airway was well tolerated. Life-threatening complications were related to group 1. Overall mean survival was 26+/−10 weeks and was significantly shorter in group 1 (6+/−7.6 weeks) than in group 2 (28+/−11 weeks), p<0.001). Scheduled double stenting significantly improved symptoms (95% at day 7) with a low complication rate (13%), and achieved a specific cancer treatment (84%) in most cases.

Conclusion

Stenting the airway should always be considered in case of esophageal stent indication. A multidisciplinary approach with initial airway evaluation improved prognosis and decreased airways complications related to esophageal stent. Emergency procedures were rarely efficient in our experience.

Polyflex stents for malignant oesophageal and oesophagogastric stricture: a prospective, multicentric study

OBJECTIVE

Dysphagia is the most distressing symptom in patients with cancer-related oesophageal obstruction. Endoscopic palliation aims to restore swallowing, avoid reintervention and to reduce hospitalization. This study reports an experience with a new self-expandable plastic stent (Polyflex) in patients with unresectable oesophageal and oesophagogastric junction cancer.

METHODS

Sixty patients were prospectively collected. The cause of obstruction was oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma (44) and adenocarcinoma (eight), lung cancer (seven) and thyroid tumour (one).

RESULTS

The stent was successfully placed in 59 patients. Early minor complications occurred in 19 patients (32%), and major complications in 13 (22%). Death occurred in three patients owing to pulmonary embolism (one) and massive haemorrhage (two). Recurrent dysphagia for early stent migration was observed in seven patients. Delayed stent migration occurred in five patients and tumour overgrowth in eight patients. The mean dysphagia score of 2.8 improved to a mean score of 1.0 after stenting (P<0.001). Overall median survival time was 4.6 months.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study suggests that Polyflex stents are competitive with metal stents, with similar efficacy but lower cost. Technical improvements, however, are required to make these stents more user friendly. Large randomized clinical studies are needed to guide in the choice among the different available stents.

Treatment of thoracic anastomotic leaks after esophagectomy with self-expanding plastic stents

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the efficacy of a self-expanding plastic stent in the treatment of thoracic leaks after esophagectomy for cancer.

SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA

Anastomotic leaks are a major cause of morbidity and mortality after esophageal resection. Treatment options range from aggressive surgery to conservative management, but there remains much controversy on the best treatment.

METHODS

Over a 6-year period (1998-2003), esophagogastric leaks were observed in 19 of 204 patients (9.3%) after esophagectomy. Between 1998 and 2000, anastomotic leaks were managed by reexploration (n = 7) or by conservative treatment (n = 3). Since 2001, insertion of self-expanding plastic stents was performed for all anastomotic leaks (n = 9). The short-term efficacy and long-term outcome of both treatments were analyzed.

RESULTS

Self-expanding plastic stents were successfully placed in all patients without procedure-related morbidity. Immediate leak occlusion was obtained in 8 of 9 patients. The mean healing time (time to stent removal) was 29 days. Compared with the conventional treatment group, patients who were treated with stents had earlier oral intake (11 days versus 23 days), a less extensive intensive care course (25 days versus 47 days), and shorter hospital stay (35 days versus 57 days). In-hospital mortality was 0% (0 of 9 patients) in the stent group and 20% (2 of 10 patients) in the other group. After a mean follow-up of 12 months, none of the patients developed a stricture after stenting, but a stricture occurred in 1 patient after conservative treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

Self-expanding plastic stents can reduce leak-related morbidity and mortality after esophagectomy and may be considered a cost-effective treatment alternative.

Esophagorespiratory fistula: long-term results of palliative treatment with covered expandable metallic stents in 61 patients

PURPOSE

To evaluate long-term clinical results of palliative treatment of esophagorespiratory fistulas (ERFs) with covered expandable metallic stents.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Sixty patients with ERFs due to esophageal or bronchogenic carcinoma and one patient with ERF due to pressure necrosis caused by initial esophageal stent placement for esophageal carcinoma were treated with covered expandable esophageal or tracheobronchial metallic stents. Information about technical success of stent placement, initial clinical success and failure, fistula reopening, and complications was obtained. Survival curves for both patient groups with initial clinical success and failure were obtained and compared with Kaplan-Meier methods and log-rank test.

RESULTS

Stent placement was technically successful in all patients, with no immediate procedural complications. The stent completely sealed off the fistula in 49 (80%) of 61 patients so that they had no further aspiration symptoms (initial clinical success). Twelve (20%) of 61 patients had persistent aspiration symptoms due to incomplete ERF closure (initial clinical failure). During follow-up, the fistula reopened in 17 (35%) of 49 patients with initial clinical success: In eight patients, the reopened ERF was sealed off successfully with stent placement or balloon dilation. In two patients with reopened ERF caused by food impaction, the reopened fistula resolved spontaneously. Seven patients did not undergo further treatment. All patients died during follow-up, and mean survival was 13.4 weeks (range, 1-56 weeks) after stent placement. Mean survival in patients with initial clinical success was significantly longer than that in patients with initial clinical failure (15.1 vs 6.2 weeks, P <.05).

CONCLUSION

Covered expandable metallic stents were placed in 61 patients with ERFs, but the initial clinical success rate was poor and the rate of reopening was high; however, interventional treatment was effective for sealing off reopened ERFs.

Retrievable covered nitinol stents: experiences in 108 patients with malignant esophageal strictures

PURPOSE

The authors report their experience with three types of retrievable covered nitinol stents in patients with malignant esophageal strictures.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Three types of retrievable covered nitinol stents were designed. Type A stents were placed in 45 patients, type B stents were placed in 29 patients, and type C stents were placed in 34 patients. The stents were removed with use of a stent retrieval set under fluoroscopic guidance when the stents caused complications. Stent patency, symptom relief, survival rate, and complications were analyzed relative to stent type and radiation therapy.

RESULTS

The timing of radiation and the stent type have significant effects on occurrence of complications such as stent migration and fistula formation (P =.002 and P = 0.029, respectively). Complications were significantly more frequent in patients with the type B stent than those with type A or type C stents (P =.008). Patients who underwent radiation therapy before stent placement or who underwent no radiation therapy experienced substantially less complications than those who underwent radiation therapy after stent placement (P =.005 and P <.001, respectively). The survival period was significantly longer in patients who underwent radiation therapy after stent placement than in the other groups (P =.034). Stents were removed from 15 patients (14%) 2 days to 16 weeks (mean, 4 weeks) after stent placement as a result of severe pain (n = 7), stent migration (n = 6), or stent deformity (n = 2). Stent removal was well tolerated in all patients.

CONCLUSION

Use of retrievable covered nitinol stents seems to be a safe and effective method of treatment in patients with malignant esophageal strictures. However, removal of the stents was needed in 14% of the patients because of complications. Patients who underwent radiation therapy after stent placement and those with the type B stent experienced more complications than other patients.

A comparison of 3 types of covered metal stents for the palliation of patients with dysphagia caused by esophagogastric carcinoma: a prospective, randomized study

BACKGROUND

There are currently 3 types of covered metal stents available in Europe for palliation of patients with malignant dysphagia. Their relative merits have not been compared in a prospective, randomized study.

METHODS

One hundred consecutive patients with esophagogastric carcinoma were randomized to placement of an Ultraflex stent, a Flamingo Wallstent, or a Gianturco-Z stent. Malignant strictures of the esophagus were treated by insertion of a small-diameter stent (n = 71), whereas those involving the gastric cardia were treated with a large-diameter stent (n = 29).

RESULTS

At 4 weeks, dysphagia had improved in all patient groups (p < 0.001), but the degree of improvement did not differ among the 3 groups (p = 0.14). There were differences among the 3 stent types with respect to major complications (Ultraflex stent: 8/34 [24%], Flamingo Wallstent: 6/33 [18%], and Gianturco-Z stent: 12/33 [36%]), but these were not statistically significant (p = 0.23). Nine patients (26%) with an Ultraflex stent, 11 (33%) with a Flamingo Wallstent, and 8 (24%) with a Gianturco-Z stent had recurrent dysphagia (p = 0.73), mainly because of tumor overgrowth or stent migration; 12 of 13 episodes of migration involved small-diameter stents in the esophagus.

CONCLUSIONS

All 3 covered metal stents evaluated offer the same degree of palliation of patients with malignant dysphagia. Placement of Gianturco-Z stents was associated with more complications as compared with Ultraflex stents and Flamingo Wallstents. Although stent migration is reduced by increasing stent diameter, tumor overgrowth remains an intractable problem that requires a new approach.

Delayed complications after esophageal stent placement for treatment of malignant esophageal obstructions and esophagorespiratory fistulas

PURPOSE

To evaluate delayed complications after esophageal expandable metallic stent placement.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

From April 1993 to December 1997, 90 expandable metallic stents were placed in 82 consecutive patients with inoperable malignant esophageal obstruction (n = 49) or malignant esophagorespiratory fistula (n = 33). Stents used included covered Gianturco-Rosch Z stents (n = 20), Wallstents (covered, n = 31; uncovered, n = 13), and Ultraflex stents (covered, n = 8; uncovered, n = 10). Patients were followed prospectively and monitored for delayed complications, defined as major (hemorrhage, tracheal compression, stent migration, perforation or fistula formation, granulomatous obstruction, tumor ingrowth and overgrowth, funnel phenomenon, and stent covering disruption) or minor (reflux, chest pain, and food impaction).

RESULTS

Mean survival was 4.5 months after stent placement (range, 3 weeks to 26 months). The overall incidence of delayed complications was 64.6%, with 17 patients (20.7%) experiencing more than one complication. The rates of delayed complications in patients with Z stents, Wallstents, and Ultraflex stents were 75.0%, 68.1%, and 44.4%, respectively (P <.05). Most complications were life-threatening and occurred more frequently when stents were placed in the proximal third of the esophagus, compared with more distally (P <.05). Thirteen patients (15.9%) died from complications directly related to stent placement.

CONCLUSION

Esophageal stent placement for malignant obstruction or fistula is associated with a substantial incidence of delayed complications.

Symptomatic malignant gastroesophageal anastomotic leak: management with covered metallic esophageal stents

OBJECTIVE

Gastroesophageal anastomotic leak after cancer resection has a mortality rate of up to 60% and significant morbidity, whatever the mode of treatment. We assessed the efficacy of esophageal stenting as a therapeutic option to reduce the mortality and morbidity associated with symptomatic intrathoracic anastomotic leakage.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS

During a 52-month period, 14 patients had placement of stents for clinically significant postoperative leaks: 10 patients had an esophagogastrectomy and four patients had a total gastrectomy with esophagojejunal anastomosis. Thirteen of 14 patients had tumors that were histologically staged as T3 N1 M0 or worse. Significant anastomotic leaks were revealed by a contrast-enhanced study at 3-28 days after surgery. Stents were inserted in patients in whom the leakage was debilitating or initial conservative treatment had failed. Stenting outcome in terms of clinical and radiologic healing, hospital stay, survival, and complications was assessed.

RESULTS

No procedural morbidity or 30-day mortality occurred. Immediate postprocedural leak occlusion was obtained in all patients. Clinical healing of the leak occurred in 13 (92.8%) of 14 patients, with a median healing time of 6 days. Of the 13 patients, healing occurred within 10 days in 10 patients (76.9%). Eight of these 10 early closures received a knitted nitinol stent (p = 0.02). One patient (7%) died as a consequence of leakage at 135 days. Median survival for all 14 patients was 11 months (Kaplan-Meier method). Complications included five episodes of food blockages in three patients, which required endoscopic clearance, and one case of stent-related upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage. No patients developed anastomotic stricture or occlusive epithelial hyperplasia.

CONCLUSION

Covered esophageal stenting appears to reduce the mortality and morbidity of symptomatic anastomotic leakage after surgery for gastroesophageal cancer. Knitted nitinol stents may be best suited to this purpose.

Patient tolerance of cervical esophageal metallic stents

PURPOSE

To demonstrate that proximal esophageal stenoses and tracheoesophageal fistulas can be adequately palliated with use of metallic stents without significant foreign-body sensation.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Between June 1994 and March 1999, 22 patients with lesions within 3 cm of the cricopharyngeus were treated by placement of metallic stents. The series was reviewed retrospectively. Twenty patients had surgically unresectable malignant lesions, two patients had benign disease. Ten patients had associated tracheoesophageal fistulas. In all, the upper limit of the stent was between C5 vertebral body inferior endplate and the T2 vertebral body superior endplate. The case-notes were reviewed until patient death (range, 6-198 days), or to date in the two surviving patients with benign disease.

RESULTS

Immediate technical success was 93% (27 of 29). Dysphagia scores improved from a median of 3 to 2 after stent placement. Eighteen of 22 (82%) patients reported no foreign-body sensation. There have been no cases of proximal migration, periprocedural perforation, or deaths. The two patients with benign disease experienced significant complications.

CONCLUSION

Lesions in proximity to the cricopharyngeus can be successfully palliated without significant foreign-body sensation in the majority of patients with use of metallic stents. The authors urge caution in placing stents in patients with benign disease.

Advances in gastrointestinal intervention: the treatment of gastroduodenal and colorectal obstructions with metallic stents

Metallic stents are currently an established component of the endoluminal treatment of stenoses within the blood vessels, bile ducts, esophagus, trachea, and bronchi. With the development of newer stent designs and delivery systems and the general momentum toward minimally invasive therapies, metallic stent placement has expanded into the nonsurgical therapy for gastroduodenal and colorectal obstructions. The use of metallic stents within the stomach, duodenum, or colon is intended not to be curative but to provide nonsurgical palliation for the symptoms of gastric or colonic obstruction. This palliation may be intended for the life of the patient in the case of unresectable disease or as a temporizing procedure prior to a definitive surgical procedure. In the latter clinical scenario, the benefits of a minimally invasive intestinal decompression procedure include (a) quick and noninvasive relief of the intestinal obstruction in an acutely ill patient that obviates a more extensive procedure; (b) allowance of time to improve a patient's overall medical condition and thus to allow a patient to better tolerate the definitive surgical procedure; and (c) reduction of the complexity of the definitive procedure by eliminating the need for staged procedures and allowing the definitive procedure to be performed at one setting.

An update in the palliative management of malignant dysphagia

BACKGROUND

Oesophageal cancer is generally associated with late presentation and poor prognosis. Therefore palliative surgery has been largely superseded by less invasive non-surgical techniques. Once palliation is indicated, the aims of the management should be: the maintenance of oral intake, minimizing hospital stay, relief of pain, elimination of reflux and regurgitation and the prevention of aspiration.

METHODS

This study was a review of all published English language data on the palliation of malignant dysphagia between 1994-1999. The Medline and Bids databases were searched and other references were derived from the material perused.

RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS

Palliative treatment for oesophageal cancer should be individualized and relate to tumour stage, size and location, the patient's medical condition and his/her personal wishes. The palliative treatment largely includes self-expanding metal stents (SEMS), laser (including photodynamic therapy (PDT)) or a combination of the two to relieve symptoms, this may be employed with or without other treatments such as radiotherapy/chemotherapy (RT/CT) with the aim of reducing tumour bulk and possibly prolonging survival. A multi-disciplinary approach is vital in patients with advanced oesophageal cancer.

Palliation of patients with esophagogastric neoplasms by insertion of a covered expandable modified Gianturco-Z endoprosthesis: experiences in 153 patients

BACKGROUND

We aimed to evaluate the short- and long-term outcomes of treatment by insertion of a covered expandable modified Gianturco-Z endoprosthesis (Song stent) in patients with esophagogastric malignancies.

METHODS

Consecutive patients with esophagogastric malignancies in whom a Song stent was inserted were included. Data were retrieved retrospectively. Dysphagia before and after stent placement was scored on a 5-point scale. Early (less than 30 days) and late complications (more than 30 days) were scored.

RESULTS

Analysis included 164 stents in 153 patients. Indications for stent placement were dysphagia and/or fistulas/perforations. The dysphagia score improved from a mean of 3.7 to 2.2 after stent placement (p < 0.0001). Fistulas/perforations sealed in 87% of cases. Early complications after stent placement occurred in 29.9% of cases. These included stent migration (4.3%), stent obstruction (6. 1%), aspiration pneumonia (4.9%), bleeding (4.3%), perforation (1. 8%), and pain (15.9%). Late complications occurred in 27.8% of cases. These included stent migration (2.6%), stent obstruction (9.6%), aspiration pneumonia (2.6%), bleeding (7.0%), perforation (0.9%), and pain (12.2%). The 30-day mortality was 26%. Death related to stent placement occurred in 3.3%.

CONCLUSION

Insertion of a Song expandable endoprosthesis in patients with esophagogastric malignancies significantly improves dysphagia, is successful in sealing fistulas/perforations, and is associated with acceptable morbidity and mortality rates.

A new design metal stent (Flamingo stent) for palliation of malignant dysphagia: a prospective study. The Rotterdam Esophageal Tumor Study Group

BACKGROUND

Metal stents are not superior to conventional endoprostheses with respect to the incidence of recurrent dysphagia because of tumor ingrowth with uncovered stents and migration with their covered counterparts. To overcome these limitations, a partially covered (inside-out covering) metal stent with a conical shape and a varying braiding angle of the mesh along its length, the Flamingo stent, has been developed.

METHODS

From March 1997 to October 1997, 40 consecutive patients with dysphagia due to malignant tumors had either a small diameter (proximal/distal diameter 24/16 mm; n = 21) or a large diameter Flamingo stent (proximal/distal diameter 30/20 mm; n = 19) placed.

RESULTS

There was statistically significant improvement in dysphagia, but improvement was not greater with large diameter stents compared to small diameter stents (p = 0.21). Major complications (bleeding [4], perforation [1], fever [1] and fistula [1]) occurred in 7 (18%) patients. Large diameter stents tended to be associated with more major complications than small diameter stents (5 vs. 2; p = 0.07). Pain following stent placement was observed in 9 (22%) patients and occurred more frequently in those who had prior radiation and/or chemotherapy (p = 0.02). Recurrent dysphagia (mainly due to tumor overgrowth) occurred in 10 (25%) patients.

CONCLUSIONS

Flamingo stents are effective for palliation of malignant dysphagia, but the large diameter stent seems to be associated with more complications involving the esophagus than the small diameter stent. Because recurrent dysphagia is mainly due to tumor progression, further technical developments in stent design are needed.

Interventional radiology and the use of metal stents in nonvascular clinical practice: a systematic overview

PURPOSE

The intent of this systematic overview was to describe the clinical role of metal stents in nonvascular health care interventions and the level of evidence supporting their use.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Structured searches of Medline were conducted and limited to original peer-reviewed articles published in English.

RESULTS

Clinical practice involving metal stents was reported in more than 109 clinical series involving 4,753 patients. Stents were placed mainly for palliation of malignant biliary, esophageal, and airway obstruction in patients who were untreatable or had surgically unresectable lesions. Assessment of these interventions has so far centered on safety and technical success. Efficacy, quality of life, and costing factors were not routinely reported. Randomized trial evidence was available but limited; six randomized trials involving metal stents have been reported. Three trials involved biliary malignant obstruction, and all three reported metal stent (132 patients) palliation to be superior to plastic stent palliation (136 patients) based on longer patency and lower reintervention costs. Safety and complication differences between stents, however, were inconsistent across trials. In three trials involving esophageal malignant obstruction, metal stent (82 patients) palliation was reported to be superior to plastic stent (41 patients), based on lower complication and reintervention rates, and superior to laser therapy (18 patients), based on better dysphagia relief.

CONCLUSION

Use of metal stents has been reported for obstructed ducts and passageways of most body systems. There is, however, limited controlled trial evidence confirming the advantages of their use over plastic stents or other forms of treatment.

Upper gastrointestinal tract malignant obstruction: initial results of palliation with a flexible covered stent

The authors treated 21 patients with inoperable upper gastrointestinal tract malignant obstruction from the esophagus to the duodenum by means of intubation with a flexible covered stent with fluoroscopic guidance. Stent placement was successful and relief of dysphagia was immediate in 18 (86%) patients, without serious complication. The average dysphagia score decreased from 2.6 (dysphagia to liquids) to 1.0 (dysphagia to normal solid food). Placement of a flexible covered stent provides easy, safe, and effective palliation of upper gastrointestinal malignant obstruction.

Esophageal stent with antireflux valve for tumors involving the cardia: work in progress

PURPOSE

To describe an esophageal stent with a polyester mesh cover and an antireflux valve, and to assess its efficacy in the treatment of patients with inoperable tumors of the gastric cardia.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Thirteen patients with adenocarcinoma of the cardia, two patients with squamous cell carcinoma, and three patients with recurrent carcinoma of the gastric fundus after surgery were treated by placement of an esophageal stent with an antireflux valve. The spiral Z stent has a porous, polyester mesh cover and an antireflux sleeve made of pliable polyurethane at its lower end.

RESULTS

Placement of the stent was successful in all patients, and their dysphagia disappeared or significantly improved. All were able to swallow solid food, and no patient reported significant reflux or "gas bloat" syndrome prior to death or the end of follow-up. Two patients only complained of minor heartburn. Follow-up barium swallow studies showed the absence of significant gastroesophageal reflux in all patients. No stent migration occurred.

CONCLUSION

The esophageal stent with antireflux valve has been effective in the treatment of malignant obstruction of the cardia and allowed good esophageal passage without migration and major gastroesophageal reflux.

The clinical effectiveness of the Gianturco oesophageal stent in malignant oesophageal obstruction

Between January 1994 and December 1996 72 patients were treated with 76 Gianturco oesophageal stents for oesophageal obstruction or perforation. The patients were followed prospectively in order to determine the effectiveness in improving dysphagia, to establish long term patency, survival times and complications. The mean dysphagia score prior to stenting was 3, improving to a mean score of 1 after stenting. Swallowing failed to improve in three patients. No serious complications were seen at stent insertion. Patients tolerated the procedure well with no complications in 63%. The most frequent immediate complication was chest pain occurring in 15 patients (21%). This settled in all patients with appropriate analgesia, however, four patients required long-term pain relief. In no cases was the chest pain due to perforation. Re-intervention was required in 16.7% of patients, the commonest cause being tumour overgrowth, and this was seen primarily in patients with long survival. The migration rate was low, despite the fact that 45 of 76 stents had been placed with the distal end in the stomach. Only four stents (5.6%) migrated completely, all of which had been deployed across the cardia. In our series the use of the Gianturco oesophageal stents for provided effective palliation of malignant oesophageal obstruction.

Late aortic arch perforation by graft-anchoring stent: complication of endovascular thoracic aneurysm exclusion

PURPOSE

To describe a fatal case of late aortic perforation by an endograft-anchoring stent.

METHODS AND RESULTS

A 69-year-old woman presented 2 years after thoracoabdominal aneurysm repair with a 9-cm dilatation of the descending thoracic aorta proximal to the conventional aortic graft. A 38-mm Dacron graft with multiple Gianturco Z-stents sutured inside was placed transluminally across the aortic arch such that part of the uncovered portion of the proximal stent was partially across the left subclavian orifice. Four months later, the patient died from massive hemorrhage. Autopsy showed that the uncovered portion of the proximal stent had perforated the aortic arch.

CONCLUSIONS

This case stresses the need for low-profile stent-grafts and smaller, more flexible introducer systems. Anchoring stents must be flexible, less traumatic, and strong enough to create a watertight seal even in tortuous vessels. To avoid aortic arch damage by thoracic stent-grafts, the proximal stent should be fully covered by the fabric.

Palliation of malignant dysphagia from oesophageal cancer. Rotterdam Oesophageal Tumor Study Group

Palliative therapies for advanced oesophageal cancer include surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, endoscopic procedures and combinations of these. Of the non-endoscopic modalities is external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) effective and non-invasive. A disadvantage is that relief of dysphagia only occurs over a period of 4-6 weeks. Brachytherapy is more rapid in locally controlling tumour growth and in relieving dysphagia. One of the more commonly used endoscopic procedures is laser therapy, which provides symptomatic relief with low complication rates. Recurrent dysphagia is a problem necessitating repeated treatment sessions. Self-expanding metal stents offer a high degree of palliation and are associated with fewer complications compared with prosthetic tubes. Longer palliation and perhaps even longer survival might be achieved by the combination of different therapies. Most promising are the combination of EBRT plus brachytherapy or chemoradiation. Now is the time to determine which treatment (combination) is best for individual patients.

Restenting malignant oesophageal strictures

BACKGROUND

Self-expanding metal stents are used to palliate malignant strictures of the oesophagus. This study was designed to identify the characteristics of patients requiring restenting of malignant oesophageal strictures.

METHODS

Fifty-three stents were inserted in 42 patients. Thirty-two patients did not require further stenting (once-stented group). Ten patients received second stents for recurrent oesophageal obstruction (restented group), with one patient requiring restenting a second time. Comparisons were drawn between the once-stented and restented groups with regard to survival, patient, tumour and procedural characteristics.

RESULTS

There were no significant differences with regard to tumour grade, tumour type, involvement of the cardia, procedural difficulties or the need for postprocedural oesophageal dilatation between the two groups. Survival from initial stenting was significantly greater in the restented group (median 24 (range 4-43) weeks) than in the once-stented group (median 9.5 (range 1-84) weeks) (P < 0.05). The mean length of stents used in the once-stented group was significantly greater than that of the initial stents used in the restented group (12 versus 10 cm, P = 0.032).

CONCLUSION

Inserting a covered stent through a previously inserted uncovered stent is an uncomplicated and well tolerated technique which maintains palliation from obstructing oesophageal carcinoma. The need for restenting cannot be predicted on the basis of tumour characteristics alone.

Management of malignant oesophageal obstruction with self-expanding metallic stents

BACKGROUND

The use of self-expanding metal stents for palliation of malignant dysphagia is increasing. Experience in 70 patients was reviewed with respect to the value of stenting and management of the complications encountered.

METHODS

Oesophageal stents were inserted in 70 patients (42 men) of mean age 73 years with malignant oesophageal obstruction. Data regarding stent insertion and degree of dysphagia were gathered prospectively.

RESULTS

Seventy-six stents were placed in 70 patients. By the end of the study 57 patients had died and 13 were still alive. Three patients died within 3 days of stent insertion and dysphagia was relieved in 64 of the 67 patients remaining. Stent migration, tumour ingrowth and overgrowth, and food impaction were encountered during follow-up in eight patients.

CONCLUSION

Insertion of self-expanding metal stents for the palliation of malignant oesophageal obstruction is a successful therapy which can be carried out with relative ease. Palliation of dysphagia with an appropriate stent can be expected in up to 95 per cent of patients.

Coated self-expanding metal stents versus latex prostheses for esophagogastric cancer with special reference to prior radiation and chemotherapy: a controlled, prospective study

BACKGROUND

Self-expanding metal stents seem to be safer than conventional prostheses for palliation of malignant esophagogastric obstruction. However, recurrent dysphagia caused by tumor ingrowth in uncoated types remains a problem. In addition, prior radiation and/or chemotherapy may entail an increased risk of complications.

METHODS

Seventy-five patients with an esophagogastric carcinoma were randomly assigned to placement of a latex prosthesis under general anesthesia or a coated, self-expanding metal stent under sedation. At entry, patients were stratified for location of the tumor in the esophagus or cardia and for prior radiation and/or chemotherapy.

RESULTS

Technical success and improvement in dysphagia score were similar in both groups. Major complications were more frequent with latex prostheses (47%) than with metal stents (16%) (odds ratio 4.07: 95% CI [1.35, 12.50], p = 0.014). Recurrent dysphagia was not different between latex prostheses (26%) and metal stents (24%). Hospital stay was longer, on average, after placement of latex prostheses than metal stents (6.3 +/- 5.2 versus 4.3 +/- 2.3 days; p = 0.043). Only prior radiation and/or chemotherapy increased the risk of specific device-related complications with respect to the esophagus (12 of 28 [43%] versus 8 of 47 [17%]; odds ratio 3.66: 95% CI [1.24, 10.82], p = 0.029).

CONCLUSIONS

Coated, self-expanding metal stents are associated with fewer complications and shorter hospital stay as compared with latex prostheses, and prior radiation and/or chemotherapy increases the risk of device-related complications with respect to the esophagus.