title: Palliative management of malignant antro-pyloric strictures. Gastroenterostomy vs. endoscopic stenting. A randomized prospective trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Gastroenterostomy was the palliative treatment of choice in patients with malignant unresectable gastric outlet obstruction. Palliative endoscopic treatment of malignant gastric outlet obstruction with endoluminal self-expanding metallic stents is nowadays a well-established procedure.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighteen patients referred for treatment with diagnosis of malignant strictures of the antro-pyloric tract presenting at an advanced unresectable stage. The patients were randomly assigned into two treatment groups (endoscopic vs. surgery) according to random-number tables. The length of procedure, morbidity and mortality rate, restoration of oral intake and gastric emptying at 8, 15 days and 3 months from treatment and hospital stay were assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Endoscopic group: The median length of procedure was 40 minutes. No death and one minor complication (11.1%) was reported. Mean time for oral intake was 2.1 days. Gastric emptying was satisfactory in 88.9% after 8 days and in 100% of patients after 15 days and 3 months. The median hospital stay was 3.1 days. Surgery group: The median length of the operation was 93 minutes. No mortality was reported. One patient (11.1%) developed anastomotic bleeding which required relaparotomy. Mean time for oral intake was 6.3 days. Gastric emptying was satisfactory in 66.7% of patients after 8 days, in 88.9% after 15 days and in 100% after 3 months. The median hospital stay was 10 days.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There were no statistically significant differences between the 2 groups even with respect to morbidity, mortality, delayed gastric emptying and clinical outcomes at 3-month follow-up. Endoscopic stenting was significantly more effective with respect to operative time, restoration of oral intake and median hospitalization. Our results would suggest that endoscopically placed metal stents offer an effective alternative to surgical palliation in patients with unresectable malignant strictures.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery Pietro Valdoni, University of Rome La Sapienza, Italy. Enrico.Fiori@uniroma1.it
authors.forename: Enrico
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Fiori
authors.forename: Antonietta
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lamazza
authors.forename: Patrizia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Volpino
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Burza
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Paparelli
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cavallaro
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Schillaci
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Cangemi
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D016099:Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005763:Gastroenterostomy / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010166:Palliative Care / Q000379:methods*; D010534:Peritoneal Neoplasms / Q000150:complications*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011706:Pyloric Antrum; D011707:Pyloric Stenosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D015607:Stents; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000150:complications*