Self-expandable Metal Stent Insertion Research Articles

Safety and Feasibility of Self-Expandable Metallic Stent Insertion for the Right-Side Colonic Malignant Obstruction and Its Clinical Benefits

Purpose: The efficacy of stenting for the right-side colonic malignant obstruction is unknown. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the safety and feasibility of self-expandable metallic stent insertion for the right-side colonic malignant obstruction and its clinical benefits. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed clinical data from 460 patients who underwent right hemicolectomy for right-side colon cancer from January 2006 to January 2014 at Korea University Anam Hospital. Twenty four patients who developed malignant obstruction in the right -side colon were identified and analyzed. Results: Self-expandable metallic stent insertion was attempted in 14 patients, and initial technical success was achieved in 13 patients (92.9%). No immediate stent-related complications were reported. Complete relief of obstruction was achieved in all of the 13 patients. Eleven patients who failed stenting underwent emergency operation. All of the 13 patients with stent underwent laparoscopic surgery and only one case was converted to open. Only three patients in the emergency group underwent laparoscopic surgery but one was converted. Operative time and number of retrieved lymph nodes did not differ between the two groups. Postoperative hospital stay (9.8±3.2 in stent group vs. 16.3±10.9 days in emergency group, p=0.082) tended to be shorter in the stent group. Estimated blood loss (38.5±138.7 in stent group vs. 381.8± 411.9 in emergency group, p=0.010) and duration for resuming diet (3.2±2.2 in stent group vs. 6.6±7.0 days in emergency group, p=0.017) were significantly better in the stent group. Conclusion: Self-expandable metallic stent appears to be safe and feasible in the right-side colonic malignant obstruction. It facilitates minimally invasive surgery and may result in better short-term surgical outcome.

Clinical impact of prophylactic antibiotic treatment for self-expandable metallic stent insertion in patients with malignant colorectal obstruction.

Purpose. The aim of this study was to determine the efficacy of prophylactic antibiotics (PA) for reducing the infectious complications and the potential risk factors responsible for the infectious complications after stent insertion for malignant colorectal obstruction. Methods. We performed a retrospective review of 224 patients who underwent self-expandable metallic stent (SEMS) insertion for malignant colorectal obstruction from May 2004 to December 2012. Results. There were 145 patients in the PA group and 79 in non-PA group. The CRP level in PA group was significantly higher than that in non-PA. Abdominal tenderness and mechanical ileus were significantly more frequent in PA group than those in non-PA. The frequency of post-SEMS insertion fever, systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS), and bacteremia was not significantly different between PA and non-PA groups. In multivariate analysis, the CRP level was risk factor related to post-SEMS insertion SIRS. However, in propensity score matching analysis, there was no independent risk factor related to post-SEMS insertion fever, SIRS, and bacteremia. Conclusion. The use of PA in patients with malignant colorectal obstruction may be not effective to prevent the development of infectious complications after SEMS insertion.

Serious Complications after Self-expandable Metallic Stent Insertion in a Patient with Malignant Lymphoma.

An 18-year-old woman was evaluated for a chronic productive cough and dyspnea. She was subsequently diagnosed with mediastinal non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). A covered self-expandable metallic stent (SEMS) was implanted to relieve narrowing in for both main bronchi. The NHL went into complete remission after six chemotherapy cycles, but atelectasis developed in the left lower lobe 18 months after SEMS insertion. The left main bronchus was completely occluded by granulation tissue. However, the right main bronchus and intermedius bronchus were patent. Granulation tissue was observed adjacent to the SEMS. The granulation tissue and the SEMS were excised, and a silicone stent was successfully implanted using a rigid bronchoscope. SEMS is advantageous owing to its easy implantation, but there are considerable potential complications such as severe reactive granulation, stent rupture, and ventilation failure in serious cases. Therefore, SEMS should be avoided whenever possible in patients with benign airway disease. This case highlights that SEMS implantation should be avoided even in malignant airway obstruction cases if the underlying malignancy is curable.

Preoperative drainage for malignant biliary strictures: is it time for self-expanding metallic stents?

Palliation of jaundice improves the general health of the patient and, therefore, surgical outcomes. Because of the complexity and location of strictures, especially proximally, drainage has been accompanied by increased morbidity due to sepsis. Another concern is the provocation of an inflammatory and fibrotic reaction around the area of stent placement. Preoperative biliary drainage with self-expanding metallic stent (SEMS) insertion can be achieved via a percutaneous method or through endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography. A recently published multicenter randomized Dutch study has shown increased morbidity with preoperative biliary drainage. A Cochrane meta-analysis has also shown a significantly increased complication rate with preoperative drainage. However, few of these studies have used a SEMS, which allows better biliary drainage. No randomized controlled trials have compared preoperative deployment of SEMS versus conventional plastic stents. The outcomes of biliary drainage also depend on the location of the obstruction, namely the difficulty with proximal compared to distal strictures. Pathophysiologically, palliation of jaundice will benefit all patients awaiting surgery. However, preoperative drainage often results in increased morbidity because of procedure-related sepsis. The use of SEMS may change the outcome of preoperative biliary drainage dramatically.

Self-Expanding Covered Metallic Stent as a Bridge to Surgery in Esophageal Cancer: Impact on Oncologic Outcomes

Self-expanding metallic stents (SEMSs) have been used as a bridge to surgery, relieving dysphagia and maintaining nutrition, in patients with operable but obstructive esophageal cancer (EC). However, the impact of SEMSs on oncologic outcomes is unknown. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of SEMS insertion before EC surgery on oncologic outcomes. From 2000 to 2010, two thousand nine hundred and forty-four patients who underwent an operation for EC with a curative intent were included in a multicenter European cohort. Through propensity score analysis, patients who underwent SEMS insertion (SEMS group, n= 38) were matched 1:4 to control patients who did not undergo SEMS insertion (control group, n= 152). The SEMS and control groups were comparable according to age, sex, tumor location, clinical stage, American Society of Anesthesiologists score, dysphagia, malnutrition, neoadjuvant treatment administration, histology, and surgical procedure. Self-expanding metallic stent insertion was complicated by tumoral perforation in 2 patients. The in-hospital postoperative mortality and morbidity rates for the SEMS vs control groups were 13.2% vs 8.6% (p= 0.370) and 63.2% vs 59.2% (p= 0.658), respectively. The R0 resection rate (71.0% vs 85.5%; p= 0.041), median time to recurrence (6.5 vs 9.0 months; p= 0.040), and 3-year overall survival (25% vs 44%; p= 0.023) were significantly reduced in the SEMS group, and the 3-year locoregional recurrence rate was increased (62% vs 34%; p= 0.049). The results remained significant after excluding SEMS-related esophageal perforations. After adjusting for confounding factors, SEMS insertion was a predictor of poor prognosis (hazard ratio= 1.6; p= 0.038). Self-expanding metallic stent insertion, as a bridge to surgery, has a negative impact on oncologic outcomes in EC. Clinicaltrials.gov ID: NCT 01927016.

Fluoroscopic-guided insertion of self-expanding metal stents for malignant gastroduodenal outlet obstruction: immediate results and clinical outcomes.

Application of self-expanding metal stents (SEMS) to treat patients suffering from malignant gastroduodenal outlet obstruction (GDOO) is today considered a well-recognized palliative treatment. Use of SEMS has emerged as an attractive alternative to surgical treatment of such patients. To report the immediate and the mid-term clinical outcomes from a series of consecutive patients treated with exclusively fluoroscopic-guided insertion of SEMS. This was a retrospective study including patients suffering from GDOO that were either ineligible for or unwilling to undergo surgery. Patients with potentially curable disease, uncorrectable coagulopathy, gastrointestinal perforation, sepsis, presence of distal small bowel obstruction, and bowel ischemia were excluded. Technical success, clinical success, and major complications were calculated. In addition, stent migration, stent re-obstruction, restenosis, and overall re-interventions due to recurrent symptoms were considered. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was used for patient survival estimation while both bivariable and multivariable analysis were performed to identify any independent predictors of outcomes. Fifty-one patients, (mean age, 63.73 ± 15.62 years) met the study's criteria and were included in the final analysis. Technical and clinical success were 90.19% (n = 46/51) and 91.30% (n = 42/46), respectively. Major complications rate was 3.92%. Stent migration was noted in four cases. Restenosis and re-obstruction rates were 19.57% and 10.87%, respectively. No cases of peri-procedural mortality were noted, while Kaplan-Meier estimates for 1- and 2-year survival were 16.8% and 7.2%, respectively. Clinically successful cases and patients with primary GI tumor were related with more favorable survival compared to unsuccessful and patients suffering from GDOO due to extrinsic compression by neoplastic or lymph node disease. Exclusively fluoroscopically inserted SEMS for GDOO is safe and highly effective method for palliative treatment.

What is the necessity of endoscopist for successful endoscopic stenting in patients with malignant colorectal obstruction?

Recently, self-expandable metal stents (SEMSs) have been widely used as an initial therapy for relieving malignant colorectal obstructions. However, several factors, including the endoscopist's experience, affect the clinical outcome of SEMSs. The aim of this study was to define the adequate level of experience necessary to perform endoscopic stenting effectively and safely and to identify technical factors for successful stenting. Between March 2009 and June 2012, 160 patients underwent SEMS placement for malignant colorectal obstruction with the intent of palliation or as a bridge to surgery by a single endoscopist who experienced colonoscopy and endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography. The overall technical and clinical success rates were 86.9 and 86.4%, respectively, and 18 complications (11.3%) were observed. There were no differences in any of the clinical outcomes between the consecutive blocks; however, the procedure time decreased significantly after the first 30 procedures (17.4, 16.9, 13.5, and 12.8 min; P = 0.044). American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) class, history of a previous operation, proximal colon obstruction, obstruction caused by an extracolonic malignancy, and palliative SEMS placement were associated with technical failure. An endoscopist who experiences a colonoscopy and fluoroscopy performs SEMS placement successfully regardless of the level of experience. After the first 30 procedures, a SEMS insertion could be safely and effectively performed with short procedure time in patients with malignant colorectal obstruction.

Interventions for dysphagia in oesophageal cancer.

Most patients with oesophageal and gastro-oesophageal carcinoma are diagnosed at an advanced stage and require palliative intervention. Although there are many kinds of interventions, the optimal one for the palliation of dysphagia remains unclear. This review updates the previous version published in 2009. The aim of this review was to systematically analyse and summarise the efficacy of different interventions used in the palliation of dysphagia in primary oesophageal and gastro-oesophageal carcinoma. To find new studies for this updated review, in January 2014 we searched, according to the Cochrane Upper Gastrointestinal and Pancreatic Diseases model, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) (The Cochrane Library), MEDLINE, EMBASE and CINAHL; and major conference proceedings (up to January 2014). Only randomised controlled trials (RCTs) were included in which patients with inoperable or unresectable primary oesophageal cancer underwent palliative treatment. Different interventions like rigid plastic intubation, self-expanding metallic stent (SEMS) insertion, brachytherapy, external beam radiotherapy, chemotherapy, oesophageal bypass surgery, chemical and thermal ablation therapy, either head-to-head or in combination, were included. The primary outcome was dysphagia improvement. Secondary outcomes included recurrent dysphagia, technical success, procedure related mortality, 30-day mortality, adverse effects and quality of life. Data collection and analysis were performed in accordance with the methods of the Cochrane Upper Gastrointestinal and Pancreatic Diseases Review Group. We included 3684 patients from 53 studies. SEMS insertion was safer and more effective than plastic tube insertion. Thermal and chemical ablative therapy provided comparable dysphagia palliation but had an increased requirement for re-interventions and for adverse effects. Anti-reflux stents provided comparable dysphagia palliation to conventional metal stents. Some anti-reflux stents might have reduced gastro-oesophageal reflux and complications. Newly-designed double-layered nitinol (Niti-S) stents were preferable due to longer survival time and fewer complications compared to simple Niti-S stents. Brachytherapy might be a suitable alternative to SEMS in providing a survival advantage and possibly a better quality of life, and might provide better results when combined with argon plasma coagulation or external beam radiation therapy. Self-expanding metal stent insertion is safe, effective and quicker in palliating dysphagia compared to other modalities. However, high-dose intraluminal brachytherapy is a suitable alternative and might provide additional survival benefit with a better quality of life. Some anti-reflux stents and newly-designed stents lead to longer survival and fewer complications compared to conventional stents. Combinations of brachytherapy with self-expanding metal stent insertion or radiotherapy are preferable due to the reduced requirement for re-interventions. Rigid plastic tube insertion, dilatation alone or in combination with other modalities, and chemotherapy alone are not recommended for palliation of dysphagia due to a high incidence of delayed complications and recurrent dysphagia.

404. Ten-year review of oesophageal self-expanding metal stent (SEMS) insertion in a single institution: A Singapore experience

404. Ten-year review of oesophageal self-expanding metal stent (SEMS) insertion in a single institution: A Singapore experience

Feasibility of self-expandable metal stent placement with side-viewing endoscope for malignant distal duodenal obstruction.

Self-expandable metal stents (SEMSs) have been a good treatment option for malignant intestinal obstruction. However, stent placement with a gastroscope can be technically difficult for the distal duodenum obstruction. A side-viewing duodenoscope may be helpful for these patients. We report our experiences in the insertion of SEMSs to distal duodenum with a side-viewing endoscope. We retrospectively analyzed our database of SEMS placement for malignant distal duodenum obstruction between April 2006 and April 2013. All patients underwent SEMS placement using the side-viewing endoscope (duodenoscope). Main outcomes are technical success, clinical success, complication rates, stent patency, and overall survival. In addition, database from other tertiary center was analyzed, where SEMS insertion was performed with forward-viewing endoscopes (gastroscope or colonoscope). Success and complication rates were compared with ours. A total of 31 patients were reviewed. Pancreatic cancer was the most common cause (87.1 %). Technical and clinical success was achieved in all cases. Procedure-related complication occurred in one patient, who experienced micro-perforation of the duodenum. The patient improved with conservative treatment. Median duration of stent patency was 125 days (95 % CI 75-175), and median overall survival was 134 days (95 % CI 77-191). Biliary obstruction was present in 12.9 % of patients, who underwent biliary stent placement at the same time without changing endoscopes. In forward-viewing endoscopes group, 15 cases were included. Technical and clinical success was achieved in all cases, and no procedure-related complication occurred. The insertion of SEMSs to distal duodenum with a duodenoscope could be performed effectively and safely in patients with malignant obstruction.

Safety implications of oesophageal stents used for the palliation of dysphagia in patients undergoing neoadjuvant therapy for oesophageal malignancy.

In their recent systematic review and meta-analysis, Nagaraja and colleagues support the use of self-expanding metal stents (SEMS) in patients with oesophageal malignancy undergoing neoadjuvant therapy prior to potentially curative oesophagectomy as ‘safe and effective’ (1). Summarising the results of nine studies comprising 180 patients, the authors identify both a significant reduction in dysphagia and matched increases in weight and serum albumin in patients treated with SEMS insertion. There is, however, a substantial body of evidence to demonstrate a myriad of adverse events resulting directly from the use of oesophageal stents which we believe should preclude their use for the relief of dysphagia in patients awaiting curative resection. Nagaraja and colleagues report the incidence of stent migration in their study to equal 32%, attributed to tumour response from neoadjuvant therapy. This figure masks significant rates of unplanned reintervention for stent revision, exchange or removal noted within series published by Adler et al., Lopes et al., Langer et al., Martin et al. and Siddiqui et al. (2-6). At best, this may inconvenience patients and delay neoadjuvant therapy whilst, at worst, emergency laparotomy is required to prevent or treat small bowel perforation. There are additional reports of severe adverse effects directly related to the presence of an oesophageal stent in an otherwise potentially curable patient. Within a series of 16 patients undergoing stent insertion, Christie and colleagues reported one case of stent erosion in to a vertebral body, which made surgery more difficult, and death resulting from mediastinal sepsis secondary to a mediastinal abscess formed following occult perforation caused by a stent (7). The risk of local anatomical disruption is supported by Langer and colleagues’ 2010 series of 38 patients which notes five serious complications resulting from stent use, including two oesophago-tracheobronchial fistulae, one acute oesophageal perforation, one small bowel perforation and one erosion of the aortic wall (4). Lopes et al. additionally makes note of a case of tracheoesophageal fistulation occurring within a series of ten patients (3). Even in patients who are unaffected by these life threatening complications other authors have noted difficult tissue planes during oesophagectomy in patients who have been treated with stents. A more common complication of stent insertion noted by the authors is one of chest discomfort, which occurred in 51% of their cohort. Although commonly reported to be self-limiting and readily relieved with oral analgesia, there are within the literature cited by Nagaraja a number of reports of significant chest pain which has followed stent insertion and subsequently necessitated emergency removal (1). Even in those who do not develop an adverse effect associated with stent insertion, their use appears marred by the potential for compromising survival and overall progression to surgery. Randomised analyses have revealed worse survival in patients with palliative oesophageal malignancy who receive metal stents, rather than alternative approaches for the relief of dysphagia (8). No similar analysis of survival or rates of progression to surgery is afforded by Nagaraja et al.’s analysis, yet progression to surgical resection is reported within series they cite to be as low as 15%. This may be due to the advanced nature of the tumours stented, however a direct effect of the stent cannot be discounted. There is interesting data from patients with colorectal cancer which highlights an increase in the number of free tumour cells within the circulation following stent insertion, a phenomenon considered secondary to mechanical stress imposed on the tumour body (9). Whilst the improvement in dysphagia, weight and serum albumin reported by Nagaraja et al. appears to afford promise in the management of patients with dysphagia undergoing neoadjuvant therapy, clinicians must apply caution to its interpretation in light of the above comments. There is a clear need for randomised controlled trial to compare oesophageal stents of all materials to alternative strategies (such as nasogastric tube or feeding jejunostomy) to relieve dysphagia in potentially curative patients undergoing neoadjuvant therapy.

Short-term outcomes of laparoscopic surgery after insertion of self-expandable metallic stent as a “bridge to surgery” for left-sided obstructive colorectal cancer.

643 Background: Safety and validity of performing laparoscopic surgery after preoperative lavege using the self-expandable metallic stent (SEMS) for left-sided obstructive colorectal cancer were examined. We evaluated the short-term outcome of SEMS insertion compared with laparoscopic surgery without SEMS. Methods: Patients with left-sided colorectal cancer treated by either laparoscopic surgery with stent placement (n = 8) or laparoscopic surgery only (n = 42) in our hospital between April, 2012 and January, 2013 were registered. Short-term outcomes were compared with the two groups about patient characteristics (sex, age, American Society of Anesthesiologists Physical Status, body mass index, prior abdominal surgery), pathological data of patients (tumor location, size of tumor , tumor differentiation, number of harvested lymph nodes, pTNM classification, UICC pathological stage), and operative and post operative results (procedures, conversion, operative time, blood loss, morbidity, solid food intake, postoperative hospital stay, total hospital stay). Results: Except for tumor size in the patient characteristic parameters, there were no statistically significant difference between the two groups. Conversion rate to laparotomy was higher in the stent group (2 versus 1, p = 0.013). There was no difference in operation time, blood loss and postoperative complications between the two groups. Conclusions: Although the long-term oncological result requires further investigation, laparoscopic surgery after self-expandable metallic stent is a safe and feasible treatment as a “brige to surgery” for left-sided obstructive colorectal cancer.

The outcome of self-expanding metal stents in elderly patients.

Background and Objectives:Emergency surgery for large bowel obstruction is associated with high morbidity and mortality rates, especially in elderly patients. Colonic self-expanding metal stents may provide temporary relief of obstructions and enable preoperative evaluation. The aim of this retrospective study was to assess the clinical outcomes of emergency stenting in elderly patients with large bowel obstructions.Methods:Between 1997 and 2010, patients presenting with large bowel obstructions were treated predominantly with self-expanding metal stent insertion. Clinical data, including age, site of obstruction, success rate, and surgery and mortality rates, were collected. Patients were divided into 3 groups (I, II, and III) according to age: <69, 70 to 79, or >80 years.Results:One hundred thirty-two consecutive patients underwent stent implantation, with a mean age of 72.1 years (range, 28–95 years). Similar diversity of sex, indication, and stricture location was found. There were no significant differences in clinical success (88.7%, 73.8%, and 78.4%, P = .16) and stent-related mortality (2.1%, 3.3%, and 3.6%, P = 1.00). Similar rates of stoma creation were also found (59.3%, 46.7%, and 60.0%, P = .76). In contrast, rates of surgery were lower in older patients (50.9%, 38.1%, and 13.5%, P = .0013), and mortality during the same admission was significantly higher in patients >70 years of age (4.0%, 15.0%, and 22.2%, P = .027). Kaplan-Meier 30-day survival curves for the 3 groups showed a trend toward earlier death among patients >70 years of age.Conclusions:This study demonstrates that stenting provides similar success rates in all age groups but is associated with higher mortality rates in older patients.

Intraductal endoscopic radiofrequency ablation for the treatment of hilar non-resectable malignant bile duct obstruction

To evaluate the safety and technical success of endoscopic radiofrequency ablation (RFA) for palliative treatment of malignant hilar bile duct obstruction. In this study, a recently CE and FDA-approved endoscopic RFA catheter was first tested in an ex vivo pig liver model to study the effect of electrosurgical variables on the extent of the area of induced necrosis. Subsequently, a retrospective analysis was conducted of all patients treated with endoscopic RFA for malignant biliary obstruction at our center between February 2012 and April 2013. All patients received an additional plastic stent implantation into the biliary tree following RFA. In the pig model, ablation time of 60-90 seconds using the bipolar soft coagulation mode at 8-10 watts with an effect of 8 was found to be the most feasible setting. Twelve patients (5 females, 7 males; mean age, 70 years) underwent 19 endoscopic RFA (range, 1-5) sessions. Deployment of RFA was successful in all patients. Systemic chemotherapy was administered in four patients. We observed biliary bleeding 4-6 wk after the intervention in three cases and two of these patients died: in one patient, spontaneous hemobilia occurred, whereas bleeding started during stent extraction in the other. In the third patient, bleeding was stopped by insertion of a non-covered self-expanding metal stent. Another three patients developed cholangitis during follow-up. Seven patients died during follow-up and median survival was 6.4 mo (95%CI: 0.05-12.7) from the time of the first RFA. Endoscopic RFA is an easy to perform and technically highly successful procedure. However, hemobilia possibly associated with RFA occurred in three of our patients. Therefore, larger prospective studies are needed to further evaluate the safety and efficacy of this promising new method.

Endoscopic stenting for recurrence-related colorectal anastomotic site obstruction: preliminary experience.

To evaluate the efficacy of stents in treating patients with anastomotic site obstructions due to cancer recurrence following colorectal surgery. The medical records of patients who underwent endoscopic self-expanding metal stents (SEMS) insertion for colorectal obstructions between February 2004 and January 2014 were retrospectively reviewed. During the study period, a total of 218 patients underwent endoscopic stenting for colorectal obstructions. We identified and examined the patients who underwent endoscopic stenting for obstructions caused by cancer recurrence at the anastomotic site following colorectal surgeries for primary colorectal cancer. Five consecutive patients [mean age, 56.4 years (range: 39-82 years); 4 women, 1 man] underwent endoscopic stenting for obstructions caused by cancer recurrence at the anastomotic site following colorectal surgeries for primary colorectal cancer. Technical and clinical success was achieved in all 5 patients, without any early complications. During follow-up, 3 patients did not need further intervention, prior to their death, after the first stent insertion; thus, the overall success rate was 3/5 (60%). Perforations occurred in 2 patients who required a second SEMS insertion due to re-obstruction; none of the patients experienced stent migration. SEMS placement is a promising treatment option for patients who develop obstructions of their colonic anastomosis sites due to cancer recurrence.

The Effectiveness of Self-Expandable Metallic Stent Insertion in Treating Right-Sided Colonic Obstruction: A Comparison between SEMS and Decompression Tube Placement and an Investigation of the Safety and Difficulties of SEMS Insertion in Right Colons.

Objectives. Self-expandable metallic stent (SEMS) is widely used to treat malignant colonic obstruction. However, most reports about SEMS insertion have concentrated on the left colon. This study aimed to (1) investigate the effectiveness of SEMS insertion compared with conventional decompression tube for right-sided colonic obstruction and (2) compare the safety and technical success of SEMS insertion between left- and right-sided colonic obstructions. Methods. The data from thirty-seven patients who underwent SEMS or conventional decompression tube placement for malignant colonic obstruction in our hospital were analyzed retrospectively. Technical and clinical success, complications, and technical difficulties were analyzed. We compared the results between SEMS insertion and decompression tube placement in right colons and the outcomes of SEMS insertion between right- and left-sided colonic obstructions. Results. For right colons, the clinical success rate of SEMS insertion (100%) was significantly higher than that of decompression tube placement (55.9%). Concerning SEMS insertion, the technical difficulty and safety of SEMS insertion were similar between right- and left-sided colonic obstructions. Conclusion. SEMS insertion for right-sided colon is significantly more effective than conventional decompression tube placement, and this procedure was safer and less technically challenging than expected. SEMS insertion should be considered for treating right-sided malignant colonic obstruction.

Chemotherapy versus self-expanding metal stent as primary treatment of severe dysphagia from unresectable oesophageal or gastro-oesophageal junction cancer

To compare chemotherapy first (group 1) versus self-expanding metal stent first (group 2) for the management of malignant dysphagia in unresectable oesophageal or gastro-oesophageal junction cancer. Patients from two university hospitals with severe malignant dysphagia (dysphagia score ≥ 2) uneligible for surgery or radiochemotherapy were evaluated retrospectively. Forty-two patients were included in group 1, and 29 in group 2. After 4 weeks, dysphagia scores improved by at least 1 point in 67% of patients in group 1 versus 93% in group 2 (p=0.01); 48% of patients in group 1 were able to eat solid food versus 68% in group 2 (p=0.054). In group 1, a self-expanding metal stent was secondarily placed in 18 patients (42.9%), whereas in group 2 dysphagia required a second self-expanding metal stent placement in 33.3% of patients. Chemotherapy as the first treatment may be a valid option, avoiding self-expanding metal stent insertion in half of the patients.

The Efficacy of Self-Expanding Metal Stents for Malignant Colorectal Obstruction by Noncolonic Malignancy with Peritoneal Carcinomatosis

Although self-expanding metal stents for colorectal obstruction is preferred over emergency surgery, the efficacy of self-expanding metal stents in patients with malignant colorectal obstruction by a noncolonic malignancy with peritoneal carcinomatosis has not been demonstrated. The aim of this study was to evaluate the survival and long-term clinical outcome of self-expanding metal stents as the initial interventional approach in patients with malignant colorectal obstruction due to a noncolonic malignancy with peritoneal carcinomatosis. This is a retrospective study. This study was conducted at 2 tertiary care academic medical centers in South Korea. The patients were included who underwent self-expanding metal stent insertion for palliation of a malignant colorectal obstruction by a noncolonic malignancy with peritoneal carcinomatosis between July 2004 and January 2010. Inclusion criteria were incurable status, noncolorectal cancer, obstructive symptoms and/or signs, and colonoscopic findings of obstruction. The survival and success rate of patients undergoing self-expanding metal stents insertion was assessed. Twenty patients were included during the study period. Technical success of self-expanding metal stents was achieved in 18/20 (90.0%) patients, and obstructive symptoms were resolved within 72 hours in 17/20 (85.0%) patients. Ten patients (10/20, 50%) did not need further intervention during the follow-up period after the first stent insertion. Eight patients ultimately underwent surgery during the follow-up period. One of the remaining 2 patients underwent additional endoscopic treatment without surgery. Another patient refused further intervention and thus received conservative management. Mean event-free survival was 119.0 days, and the mean overall survival of the included patients was 156.3 days. The number of study patients was small. Self-expanding metal stent insertion appears to be a reasonable first-treatment option in patients with malignant colorectal obstruction by noncolonic malignancy with peritoneal carcinomatosis.

Self-expanding metal stent insertion by colorectal surgeons in the management of obstructing colorectal cancers: a 6-year experience

Placement of a self-expanding metal stent (SEMS) in patients presenting with colorectal cancer as an acute large bowel obstruction may obviate emergency surgery, potentially effectively palliating incurable cancers and acting as a bridge to surgery in patients with operable tumours. We present our experience with stenting for malignant acute large bowel obstruction over a 6-year period (2006-2011). A prospectively compiled colorectal cancer database was reviewed to identify all patients presenting to our unit with malignant acute large bowel obstruction who had stenting carried out to achieve colonic decompression. All 44 procedures were performed by colorectal surgeons using a combined endoscopic and fluoroscopic technique. Overall, successful decompression was achieved in 42 patients by SEMS insertion (95.5%). Technical and clinical success was achieved in all 30 patients undergoing stenting as a palliative measure (100%). There was no clinical perforation in any of the 44 patients. SEMSs insertion is a safe and effective technique for colonic decompression in the setting of acute malignant large bowel obstruction as either a palliative measure or as a bridge to subsequent resection.

Delayed, life-threatening hemorrhage after self-expandable metallic biliary stent placement: clinical manifestations and endovascular treatment

Life-threatening, delayed hemorrhage after self-expandable metallic stent (SEMS) insertion for malignant biliary obstruction is very rare. Clinical manifestations, radiologic characteristics, treatment, and prognosis of this complication are not well-known. To present the clinical manifestations, radiologic findings, and endovascular treatment of life-threatening, delayed hemorrhage secondary to SEMS placement. A total of six patients (five men and one woman; mean age, 65.5 years) with life-threatening, delayed arterial bleeding after SEMS placement for malignant bile duct obstruction were recruited between 2000 and 2011 from three different hospitals in Korea. The original SEMS placement in all patients utilized either percutaneous (n = 3) or endoscopic approaches (n = 3). We retrospectively reviewed the clinical presentations, computed tomography (CT) and angiographic findings, endovascular treatments, and prognoses of these patients. All patients presented with life-threatening gastrointestinal bleeding such as melena (n = 4), hematochezia (n = 1), and hematemesis (n = 1). Mean time period between biliary metallic stent insertion and presentation with bleeding was 75 days (range, 15-152 days). All stents were encased by primary or metastatic cancer along with nearby arteries on CT images. Digital subtraction angiogram (DSA) revealed pseudoaneurysm close to the stent (n = 2), in-stent pseudoaneurysm (n = 2), arteriobiliary fistula (n = 1), or pseudoaneurysm with arteriobiliary fistula (n = 1). The origins of hemorrhage were the gastroduodenal artery (n = 3), the aberrant right posterior hepatic artery from the gastroduodenal artery (n = 2), and the right hepatic artery (n = 1). Hemorrhages were successfully controlled after intra-arterial coil embolization in five patients followed by placement of a stent graft and direct puncture N-butyl-2-cyanoacrylate (NBCA) embolization in one patient. Life-threatening, delayed hemorrhage within a metallic biliary stent may occur if a stent is placed across the bulky bile duct tumor or tumor encases the stent. Bleeding can be successfully treated with endovascular treatment. However, the overall prognosis was poor.