title: [Self-expandable metal stents in the GI tract].
abstract: Self-expandable metal Stents (SEMS), first introduced in the late 90s for the palliation of malignant obstructive jaundice and unresectable esophageal malignancy, are now being variably placed for high risk surgical patients in the setting of malignant gastric outlet and colon obstruction. This review attempts to place SEMS into perspective with respect to surgery and other palliative modalities when treating a variety of GI malignancies and attempts to define the role, if any, of SEMS placement in patients with refractory benign GI stenoses.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Gastroenterología, Centro Médico Virginia Mason, Seattle, Washington 98101, USA. gasrak@vmmc.org
authors.forename: Richard A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Kozarek
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D001650:Bile Duct Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy; D001653:Bile Ducts, Intrahepatic; D018281:Cholangiocarcinoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy; D003108:Colonic Diseases / Q000628:therapy; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy; D004066:Digestive System Diseases / Q000628:therapy*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D017219:Gastric Outlet Obstruction / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D007415:Intestinal Obstruction / Q000628:therapy; D041781:Jaundice, Obstructive / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008670:Metals; D010166:Palliative Care; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy; D011446:Prospective Studies; D019919:Prosthesis Implantation; D011859:Radiography; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D015607:Stents / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D008670:Metals