Management of Colorectal Cancer Patients Undergoing a Colonic Stenting: A Multidisciplinary Team Approach

Colonic stent procedure is one of the best therapeutic medical interventions for managing a colorectal cancer patient with large bowel obstruction. This is a retrospective study that evaluated data from the past 10 years; it examined the epidemiological and clinical data of patients with colorectal cancer undergoing a colonic stent procedure. In addition, this study prospectively evaluated the nurse's roles during a colonic stent procedure, and at the same time, it explored the patient's satisfaction with the procedure at the Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias (Spain). The results revealed that for the last 10 years, a total of 102 patients underwent a colonic stent procedure. Male patients outnumbered female patients by 2:1. The palliative group consisted of patients with multiple cancer metastases, elderly patients, and patients with other comorbidities, whereas the preoperative group comprised those patients with fewer comorbidities and no multiple cancer metastases. Survival time in the palliative group was 3 months without any aggressive treatment, whereas patients with a favorable condition and fit for surgery after a colonic stent procedure had a survival time of 28 months. In the prospective study, nurses implemented care in terms of a multidisciplinary team approach of safety culture that included patient safety, equipment safety, and environment and procedure safety. Therefore, the level of patient satisfaction was high. In conclusion, management of a colorectal cancer patient undergoing colonic stenting performed at the Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias has high technical and clinical success, and it is a quality procedure that includes a multidisciplinary team approach.

Self-expanding metal stenting for obstructing left colon cancer: A district hospital experience

Stenting of malignant colonic obstructions using self-expanding metal stents (SEMS) is commonly used for palliation and can be used as an interim procedure prior to definitive surgery. We retrospectively reviewed prospectively collected data from all consecutive colonic stenting procedures undertaken between September 2007 and December 2014 at a district general hospital. Technical and clinical success rates, mortality, colonic perforation, and other complications were documented and analyzed. Sixty-four colonic stenting procedures were undertaken. Fifty-three (83 %) were for palliation and eleven (17 %) were performed as a bridge to definitive surgery. Technical (98.4 %) and clinical (89.9 %) success rates were excellent. The single documented failure was secondary to complete luminal obstruction. Three stent occlusions (4.6 %), one colonic perforation (1.5 %), and one migration were encountered. There were no procedure-related deaths. Colonic stenting for obstructing left-sided colon cancer is a safe and effective procedure, even in the district general hospital setting. The use of SEMS as a bridge to elective surgery balances surgical and oncological considerations and, therefore, is most appropriate for high surgical risk patients in this setting.