title: Palliative treatment of esophageal tumors.
abstract: In malignant dysphagia expandable metal stents are commonly used as palliative treatment, but early and late complications and the improvement of dysphagia have not been well described. This report summarizes our experience with expandable metal stents for malignant dysphagia. From 1995 to 2000, we placed 38 metal stents in 36 patients with malignant dysphagia from unresectable esophageal cancer (94.4%). Dysphagia scores, complications and modality of reintervention were evaluated. Dysphagia scores decreased from 3.2 before the stent placement to 2. Immediate complications occured in one patient because of severe pain, it was not possible to perform endoscopic treatments. Other complications included tracheoesophageal fistula (2 patients), tumor overgrowth (5 patients), new stent placements (2 patients), dislocation (2 patients). In conclusions expandable metal stents are safe and effective in the treatment of malignant dysphagia.
authors.affiliation: Unità Operativa di Gastroenterologia e Endoscopia Digestiva, Istituto Regina Elena per lo Studio e la Cura dei Tumori, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lapenta
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Assisi
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Grassi
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Lauria
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Stigliano
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Casale
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D003680:Deglutition Disorders / Q000145:classification; D004032:Diet; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D010146:Pain; D010166:Palliative Care; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015607:Stents; D014138:Tracheoesophageal Fistula / Q000503:physiopathology