Oesophagorespiratory fistulas as a complication of self-expanding metal oesophageal stents

Endoscopic management and prevention of migrated esophageal stents

The use of self-expandable metallic stents has increased recently to palliate inoperable esophageal neoplasia and also in the management of benign strictures. Migration is one of the most common complications after stent placement and the endoscopist should be able to recognize and manage this situation. Several techniques for managing migrated stents have been described, as well as new techniques for preventing stent migration. Most stents have a "lasso" at the upper flange which facilitates stent repositioning or removal. An overtube, endoloop and large polypectomy snare may be useful for the retrieval of stents migrated into the stomach. External fixation of the stent with Shim's technique is efficient in preventing stent migration. Suturing the stent to the esophageal wall, new stent designs with larger flanges and double-layered stents are promising techniques to prevent stent migration but they warrant validation in a larger cohort of patients.

Recent advances in the use of stents for esophageal disease

The use of self-expanding metal esophageal stents has evolved dramatically over the last 20 years. Stents themselves have morphed from simple open-mesh wire devices to a variety of partially and fully covered metal and plastic protheses designed to resist in-growth and migration. Indications include grown considerably from simply palliating malignant dysphagia to the treatment of benign conditions such as refractory strictures, perforations, and fistulas, bridging tumors through neoadjuvant therapy and even serving as support for mucosal healing after ablative therapies. This article describes the current experience with esophageal stenting for malignant and benign conditions and examines new innovations in stent design and applications.

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.

Treatment of large, oesophageal perforations and mediastinitis with a covered, removable metallic endoprosthesis and mediastinal drainage

A bevont fémstentek benignus nyelőcső-stenosisban és -perforatioban való alkalmazása, a stent okozta szöveti reakció és a stent eltávolítás nehézségei miatt, kezdeti stádiumban van. A szerzők nyelőcső-perforatioban egy újabb, bevont fémstent terápiás hatását és eltávolítására kidolgozott módszerük hatékonyságát vizsgálták 3 beteg kapcsán. Három beteg közül kettőnél corrosiv nyelőcsőstenosis tágításakor perforatio lépett fel. Emiatt az egyiknél mediastinalis drenázs és jejunostomia, másiknál primér sutura és drenázs történt. Ezt követően mindkettőben septicus állapot, mediastinitis alakult ki. Ennek hátterében egyiknél perforatio mellett mediastinalis drén okozta nyelőcsőfistula, a másiknál nyelőcsővarrat-elégtelenség állt. A nyelőcső falának defektusát 8, illetve 10 nappal a perforatio, műtét után bevont fémstenttel hidalták át. A harmadik beteg inoperabilis nyelőcsőtumora okozta stenosisának tágítása, stentelési kísérlete során nyelőcsőruptura lépett fel, melyet két órán belül bevont fémstenttel zárta. Parenteralis táplálást, széles spectrumú antibioticus kezelést alkalmaztak. Három nap múlva ellenőrizve mindhárom stent tölcsére tökéletesen zárt. Nasogastricus szonda-, majd per os táplálásra tértek át. Átmeneti mediastinalis drenázs után a stenteket 35, illetve 74 nappal a stentimplantatio után endoscoposan távolították el. Ez idő alatt a nyelőcsőfal-defectusok, a perforatios nyílások záródtak. A stent felső szélénél jelentkező stenosist mindkét betegnél tágították. A 3. betegnél a tumoros nyelőcsőruptura korai, végleges stentelése után szövődmény nem lépett fel. Itt drenázsra nem volt szükség. Nagy nyelőcső-perforatio – kísérő septicus állapot, mediastinitis esetén is – sikeresen gyógyítható bevont, eltávolítható fémstenttel és megfelelő mediastinalis drenázzsal.

Effect of stent size on complications and recurrent dysphagia in patients with esophageal or gastric cardia cancer

BACKGROUND

Stents are commonly used for the palliation of dysphagia from esophageal or gastric cardia cancer. A major drawback of stents is the occurrence of recurrent dysphagia. Large-diameter stents were introduced for the prevention of migration but may be associated with more complications.

OBJECTIVE

To compare small- and large-diameter stents for improvement of dysphagia, complications, and recurrent dysphagia.

DESIGN

Evaluation of 338 prospectively followed patients with dysphagia from obstructing esophageal or gastric cardia cancer who were treated with an Ultraflex stent (n = 153), a Gianturco Z-stent (n = 89), or a Flamingo Wallstent (n = 96) of either a small diameter (n = 265) or a large diameter (n = 73) during the period 1996 to 2004.

SETTING

Single academic center.

PATIENTS

Patients with an inoperable malignant obstruction of the esophagus or the gastric cardia, or recurrent dysphagia after prior radiation, with curative or palliative intent for esophageal cancer.

INTERVENTIONS

Stent placement.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS

Dysphagia score (on a scale from 0 [no dysphagia] to 4 [complete dysphagia]), complications, and recurrent dysphagia. Analysis was by chi2 test, log-rank test, and Cox regression analysis.

RESULTS

Improvement in dysphagia was similar between patients with a small- or a large-diameter stent (P = .35). The occurrence of major complications, such as hemorrhage, perforation, fistula, and fever, was increased in patients with a large-diameter Gianturco Z-stent compared with those treated with a small-diameter stent (4 [40%] vs 16 [20%]; adjusted hazard ratio [HR] 5.03, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.33-19.11) but not in patients with a large-diameter Ultraflex stent or a Flamingo Wallstent. Moreover, minor complications, particularly pain, were associated with prior radiation and/or chemotherapy in patients with a large- or a small-diameter Gianturco Z-stent (HR 4.27, 95% CI 1.44-12.71) but not in those with an Ultraflex stent or a Flamingo Wallstent. Dysphagia from stent migration, tissue overgrowth, and food bolus obstruction reoccurred more frequently in patients with a small-diameter stent than in those with a large-diameter stent (Ultraflex stent: 54 [42%] vs 3 [13%], adjusted HR 0.16, 95% CI 0.04-0.74; Gianturco Z-stent: 21 [27%] vs 1 [10%], adjusted HR 0.97, 95% CI 0.11-8.67; and Flamingo Wallstent: 21 [37%] vs 6 [15%], adjusted HR 0.40, 95% CI 0.03-4.79).

LIMITATIONS

Nonrandomized study design.

CONCLUSIONS

Large-diameter stents reduce the risk of recurrent dysphagia from stent migration, tissue overgrowth, or food obstruction. Increasing the diameter in some stent types may, however, increase the risk of stent-related complications to the esophagus.

An unusual case of acute fatal pulmonary congestion: oesophageal stenting

Extrinsic left atrial compression with consequent hemodynamic compromise has been described secondary to aortic aneurysm, huge gastroesophageal distension and neoplastic diseases involving mediastinum. Prompt correction of the primary pathology usually leads to reversal of hemodynamic alterations. We report the case of a lady, who, in order to treat a stenosis of the lower third of the oesophagus, underwent stenting with subsequent hemodynamic deterioration due to compression of the posterior left atrial wall disclosed by echocardiography. The sudden recovery of the oesophageal lumen at the expense of the left atrial volume with the impossibility of prompt removal of the stent led to a progressive and fatal deterioration of the hemodynamic picture. Stenting of the lower part of the oesophagus should be performed only when reciprocal anatomic relationship between heart and oesophagus itself is clearly elucidated and possibly well maintained.

Palliative esophageal stent placement using endoscopic guidance without fluoroscopy

AIMS

Fluoroscopy is not available in every endoscopic unit. This situation leads to delays in treatment or to transfer of patients to other centres for stent insertion. We assessed safety and effectiveness of expandable esophageal metal stent placement under endoscopic control without fluoroscopy using a thin gastroscope.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

From October 2002 to June 2004, thirty-three consecutive patients have been included for esophageal stent placement under endoscopic control alone with a nasogastroscope (5.9 mm). A proximal release covered stent (Ultraflex; Boston Scientific Microvasive) was used. Indications were malignant esophageal stricture (N = 26), malignant extrinsic compression (N = 2 ) and esophago-respiratory neoplastic fistulae (N = 5).

RESULTS

Stent placement using endoscopic control alone was successful in 30/33 (90%) patients. Complications occurred in 11 patients. Early complications (<7 days) included one death from pulmonary embolism, severe retrosternal pain needing transient morphinic treatment (N = 2) and GERD despite antisecretory therapy (N = 1). Late complications included: food impaction (N = 1), tumour overgrowth-related obstruction of the stent (N = 5) and one late esophago-respiratory fistula at 4 months at the proximal end of the stent. Relief of dysphagia was obtained for all patients at 48 hours and dysphagia score decreased from 3.1 before stent to 1.2 at 1 month (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Expandable esophageal stents can be accurately and safely placed using endoscopy with a thin gastrosocope. This method obviates the requirement of fluoroscopic access, lacking in many centres, and avoids exposure to X-ray.