[Palliative care of non-resectable stenosed esophageal and cardiac cancer. A retrospective study of 31 patients treated with endoscopic argon "beam" coagulation].
BACKGROUND
The aim of this study was to describe the argon beam coagulation technique in the palliative treatment of patients with non-resectable carcinoma of the cardia and oesophagus and its requirements, complications, and tolerance.


METHODS
31 patients, referred for palliation by ABC in a central hospital over a period of nearly four years (1.1.1998-31.8.2001), were evaluated retrospectively.


RESULTS
Twenty-two men and nine women, median age 72 years (range 49-91), underwent a total of 163 treatments and a median of five treatments per patient (range 1-18). Re-canalisation enabling passage of the scope was achieved in 89% of treatments, and most of the patients had dysphagia grade = 2. The median range between reinterventions was 25 days (range 1-175). Perforation was seen in three patients and in 1.8% of treatments procedure-related mortality was 1.2%. The median hospital stay for each treatment was two days (range 1-27) and the median impatient stay as proportion survival time was 8%. The median survival was 190 days (range 7-612) and the one-year survival 19%.


CONCLUSIONS
ABC is a well tolerated, safe, and effective treatment in patients with non-resectable cancer of the oesophagus or cardia and offers and acceptable complication rate and number of reinterventions compared with laser and stent placement. The technique is easy and inexpensive and requires no further restrictions than conventional monopolar electrocoagulation does.
Eriksen
Jens Ravn
JR
Kirurgisk afdeling, Amtssygehuset i Fakse. jravn@dadlnet.dk
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001128:Argon; D002299:Cardia; D004564:Electrocoagulation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D004940:Esophageal Stenosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010166:Palliative Care / Q000379:methods; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D001128:Argon