title: Malignant obstruction of gastric outlet and duodenum: palliation with flexible covered metallic stents.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the usefulness of flexible covered metallic stents in the palliation of malignant obstruction of the gastric outlet and duodenum.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-four consecutive patients with malignant obstruction of the gastric outlet (n = 22) or duodenum (n = 2) underwent palliative treatment with self-expandable flexible covered metallic stents. Fourteen patients had advanced gastric carcinoma at the antrum and/or pylorus, and eight had obstruction at the anastomosis site of previous gastrojejunostomy. Complications and clinical status were investigated during the study period.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The technical success rate was 75% (18 of 24 patients). Twenty-one stents were placed in 18 patients by using an introducer 6 (n = 7) or 8 mm (n = 14) in diameter. The mean follow-up period was 3.4 months (range, 1 week to 9 months). Symptoms improved in 12 (67%) patients after the procedure. There was no change in symptoms in five and a decrease in one. Twelve patients died during the follow-up period (mean survival, 4.3 months). The complication rate was 25% (six of 24 patients), including stent migration (n = 5) and fracture (n = 3).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Flexible covered metallic stent placement can be useful for palliation in patients with malignant obstruction of the gastric outlet or duodenum.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, 50, Ilwon-Dong, Kangnam-Ku, Seoul, 135-710, Korea.
authors.forename: K B
authors.initials: KB
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Y S
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Do
authors.forename: W K
authors.initials: WK
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: S W
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Choo
authors.forename: Y H
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: S W
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Suh
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: K S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: I W
authors.initials: IW
authors.lastname: Choo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003680:Deglutition Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D004380:Duodenal Obstruction / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D017219:Gastric Outlet Obstruction / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010166:Palliative Care / Q000379:methods*; D011859:Radiography; D015607:Stents; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000150:complications; D013997:Time Factors