title: Colorectal tumors with complete obstruction--endoscopic recovery of passage replacing emergency surgery? A report of two cases.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Incomplete or complete obstructive ileus due to colorectal cancer is generally treated by emergency surgery that has higher morbidity and mortality than elective surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  Here we describe an endoscopic technique by which a safe bowel decompression was performed instead of emergency surgery in two patients with complete tumorous obstruction of the colon. By means of a polypectomy snare, a soft wire, an ERCP catheter, a set of endoscopes with different diameters (baby endoscope, gastroscope) and of argon plasma coagulation the tumor mass was reduced and the tumor stenosis was passed. The patients recovered from symptoms of colon obstruction, no procedure-associated complications were observed. One patient had surgery of the sigmoid tumor one week later (UICC-stage III), the other patient (UICC-stage IV) received systemic chemotherapy starting one week after endoscopic decompression.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Complete tumorous obstruction of the colon may be managed by endoscopic tumor debulking avoiding high risk emergency surgery and allowing immediate medical treatment of the primary tumor and of metastases.
authors: Department of Gastroenterology and Endocrinology, Georg-August-University of Göttingen, Germany. gramado@med.uni-goettingen.de
authors: Giuliano
authors: G
authors: Ramadori
authors: Alexander
authors: A
authors: Lindhorst
authors: Thomas
authors: T
authors: Armbrust
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D020685:Colonoscopes; D003113:Colonoscopy; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000150:complications*; D019299:Decompression, Surgical / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D020699:Gastroscopes; D006801:Humans; D007415:Intestinal Obstruction / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D017075:Laser Coagulation; D008297:Male