Usefulness of biodegradable stents constructed of poly-l-lactic acid monofilaments in patients with benign esophageal stenosis.
OBJECTIVE
To report 13 patients with benign esophageal stenosis treated with the biodegradable stent.


METHODS
We developed a Ultraflex-type stent by knitting poly-l-lactic acid monofilaments.


RESULTS
Two cases were esophageal stenosis caused by drinking of caustic liquid, 4 cases were due to surgical resection of esophageal cancers, and 7 cases were patients with esophageal cancer who received the preventive placement of biodegradable stents for post-endoscopic mucosal dissection (ESD) stenosis. The preventive placement was performed within 2 to 3 d after ESD. In 10 of the 13 cases, spontaneous migration of the stents occurred between 10 to 21 d after placement. In these cases, the migrated stents were excreted with the feces, and no obstructive complications were experienced. In 3 cases, the stents remained at the proper location on d 21 after placement. No symptoms of re-stenosis were observed within the follow-up period of 7 mo to 2 years. Further treatment with balloon dilatation or replacement of the biodegradable stent was not required.


CONCLUSIONS
Biodegradable stents were useful for the treatment of benign esophageal stenosis, particularly for the prevention of post-ESD stenosis.
Division of Endoscopic Medicine, Shiga University of Medical Science, Seta Tukinowa, Otsu 520-2192, Japan. ysaito@belle.shiga-med.ac.jp.
Yasuharu
Y
Saito
Toyohiko
T
Tanaka
Akira
A
Andoh
Hideki
H
Minematsu
Kazunori
K
Hata
Tomoyuki
T
Tsujikawa
Norihisa
N
Nitta
Kiyoshi
K
Murata
Yoshihide
Y
Fujiyama
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000737:chemistry*; D004724:Endoscopy; D004867:Equipment Design; D004940:Esophageal Stenosis / Q000628:therapy*; D004945:Esophagoscopy / Q000379:methods; D004947:Esophagus / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D019344:Lactic Acid / Q000737:chemistry*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011091:Polyesters; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry*; D015607:Stents
D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D011091:Polyesters; D011108:Polymers; D019344:Lactic Acid; C033616:poly(lactide)