title: Self-expanding metal stents in gastrointestinal interventional radiology: technical problems.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To analyze the procedural difficulties in the placement of metal stents in stenoses of the digestive tract and optimize the technique.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-nine patients with digestive tract stenoses were treated from January 1999 to December 2004. In 14 cases the stricture was anastomotic (9 colorectal, 3 esophageal, 1 gastroesophageal and 1 gastrojejunal), in 13 esophageal, in 1 gastric and in 1 duodenal. The stenosis was due to scarring in 5 patients and was malignant in 24 patients (primary in 17 cases and secondary in 7 cases).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The procedure achieved technical success in all cases but 2. For each of the different segments the technical difficulties and the adopted procedural solutions were analyzed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The interventional radiology approach yielded results comparable to those reported for the endoscopic method and was always well tolerated. The need to rely on materials mostly designed for endoscopic use can make radiological use difficult in some cases.
authors.affiliation: Imaging Department, Istituto Nazionale Tumori, Milan. guido.cozzi@istitutonazionaletumori.mi.it
authors.forename: Guido
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cozzi
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Chiaraviglio
authors.forename: Enrico Maria
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Civelli
authors.forename: Simona
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fornari
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Milella
authors.forename: Monica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Salvetti
authors.forename: Aldo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Severini
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003251:Constriction, Pathologic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D013505:Digestive System Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D004867:Equipment Design; D005260:Female; D005770:Gastrointestinal Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D041981:Gastrointestinal Tract / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011860:Radiography, Abdominal; D015641:Radiography, Interventional; D015607:Stents; D016896:Treatment Outcome