title: Treatment of gastrojejunal anastomotic leak with a covered metallic stent.
abstract: Although the incidence rates of anastomotic leaks after radical gastrectomy in a patient with gastric cancer are generally low, when the complication ensues, morbidity and mortality rates rise, varying between 18% and 30%. We used self-expandable, covered metallic stent to occlude the leakage site in a patient with recurrent postoperative anastomotic leaks. The deployment of the covered stent was successful, and immediate leak occlusion was obtained after the procedure. During follow-up, the patient had unrecognized passage of the stent per rectum and showed no anastomotic leak on upper gastrointestinal series. We suggest that implementation of covered metallic stent should be considered as a valuable, alternative therapeutic option for the treatment of intractable postoperative anastomotic leak after radical gastrectomy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Chonbuk National University Hospital, Chonju, Korea.
authors.forename: Hyo-Sung
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Kwak
authors.forename: Jeong-Min
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Gong-Yong
authors.initials: GY
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.forename: Young-Min
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Doo-Hyun
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000714:Anastomosis, Surgical / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005743:Gastrectomy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D007583:Jejunum / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008670:Metals; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D019919:Prosthesis Implantation; D011859:Radiography; D012086:Reoperation; D015607:Stents; D013270:Stomach / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D017211:Treatment Failure
chemical_list: D008670:Metals