title: Polyflex stents for malignant oesophageal and oesophagogastric stricture: a prospective, multicentric study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Dysphagia is the most distressing symptom in patients with cancer-related oesophageal obstruction. Endoscopic palliation aims to restore swallowing, avoid reintervention and to reduce hospitalization. This study reports an experience with a new self-expandable plastic stent (Polyflex) in patients with unresectable oesophageal and oesophagogastric junction cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty patients were prospectively collected. The cause of obstruction was oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma (44) and adenocarcinoma (eight), lung cancer (seven) and thyroid tumour (one).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The stent was successfully placed in 59 patients. Early minor complications occurred in 19 patients (32%), and major complications in 13 (22%). Death occurred in three patients owing to pulmonary embolism (one) and massive haemorrhage (two). Recurrent dysphagia for early stent migration was observed in seven patients. Delayed stent migration occurred in five patients and tumour overgrowth in eight patients. The mean dysphagia score of 2.8 improved to a mean score of 1.0 after stenting (P<0.001). Overall median survival time was 4.6 months.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study suggests that Polyflex stents are competitive with metal stents, with similar efficacy but lower cost. Technical improvements, however, are required to make these stents more user friendly. Large randomized clinical studies are needed to guide in the choice among the different available stents.
authors.affiliation: Department of Digestive Endoscopy, General Hospital, Reggio Emilia, Italy.
authors.forename: Rita
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Conigliaro
authors.forename: Giorgio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Battaglia
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Repici
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: De Pretis
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ghezzo
authors.forename: Max
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bittinger
authors.forename: Helmut
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Messmann
authors.forename: Jean-François
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Demarquay
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Togni
authors.forename: Sabrina
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Blanchi
authors.forename: Rosangela
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Filiberti
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Conio
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003680:Deglutition Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D004867:Equipment Design; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000150:complications*; D004940:Esophageal Stenosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D004943:Esophagogastric Junction; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010166:Palliative Care / Q000379:methods; D010969:Plastics; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D015607:Stents / Q000009:adverse effects; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D010969:Plastics