Fully covered self-expandable metal stents for benign esophageal disease: a multicenter retrospective case series of 31 patients

Abstract

The use of self-expandable stents in the esophagus for the management of benign disease has grown immensely over the past decade. Temporary placement of self-expandable plastic stents (SEPSs) was first used in certain groups of patients with postoperative anastomotic leaks and strictures. 1 Evrard S. Le Moine O. Lazaraki G. et al. Self-expanding plastic stents for benign esophageal lesions. Gastrointest Endosc. 2004; 60: 894-900 Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (194) Google Scholar , 2 Holm A.N. de la Mora Levy J.G. Gostout C.J. et al. Self-expanding plastic stents in treatment of benign esophageal conditions. Gastrointest Endosc. 2008; 66: 20-25 Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF Scopus (170) Google Scholar , 3 Dai Y.Y. Gretschel S. Dudeck O. et al. Treatment of oesophageal anastomotic leaks by temporary stenting with self-expanding plastic stents. Br J Surg. 2009; 96: 887-891 Crossref PubMed Scopus (69) Google Scholar Some of the drawbacks to silicone-based SEPSs, however, are the relatively high rates of stent migration (up to 63%), 4 Pennathur A. Chang A.C. McGrath K.M. et al. Polyflex expandable stents in the treatment of esophageal disease: initial experience. Ann Thorac Surg. 2008; 85: 1968-1972 Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (64) Google Scholar as well as a rigid and wide-diameter delivery catheter, often making stent deployment in the proximal esophagus a challenge.