Self-expandable metal stents (SEMS) can serve as a bridge to surgery or as a definitive therapy in patients with an advanced stage of cancer: clinical experience of a tertiary cancer center.
BACKGROUND
Self-expandable metal stents (SEMS) can be used to relieve benign and malignant colorectal obstruction.


OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to determine the outcomes of SEMS for malignant colorectal obstruction.


METHODS
Retrospective review was done of patients who underwent endoscopic SEMS placement from 2001 to 2007.


RESULTS
Forty-six patients (23 M), mean age 60 years (range 24-82) underwent endoscopic SEMS placement. Cancer types included: 28 colorectal, and 18 metastatic cancers. The locations of the obstruction were as follows: two in the ascending colon, one in the hepatic flexure, three in the transverse colon, two in the splenic flexure, two in the descending colon, 26 in the sigmoid colon, and ten in the rectum. In 39 of the 46 cases (84.8%), placement of a single SEMS was successful covering the entire strictures, but in seven cases, two of the stents were placed in tandem resulting in adequate overage of stricture. Technical success was achieved in all cases. Clinical success was achieved in 39 out of 46 cases (84.8%). Two perforations were detected immediately and day 5 after SEMS placement, resulting in one death and one emergent surgery. Mean follow-up was 126 days (range 2-1,210). Twenty-eight of the 46 patients (61%) died during the follow-up period with the median overall survival being 3.52 months (95% CI: 2.34-4.41 months).


CONCLUSIONS
Placement of SEMS for the treatment of colorectal obstruction is feasible and safe. In our institution, where SEMS are primarily used to palliate terminal disease, technical and clinical success rates were high without significant morbidity and mortality. On long-term follow-up, patients died from their advanced disease with infrequent recurrent obstruction or stent-related complications.
Lee
Jeffrey H
JH
Department of Gastroenteroloyg, MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Blvd, Box 0436, Houston, TX 77030, USA. Jefflee@mdanderson.org
Ross
William A
WA
Davila
Raquel
R
Chang
George
G
Lin
E
E
Dekovich
Alexander
A
Davila
Marta
M
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D012809:Colon, Sigmoid / Q000473:pathology; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology; D003251:Constriction, Pathologic; D005260:Female; D005471:Fluoroscopy; D005548:Foreign-Body Migration / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007415:Intestinal Obstruction / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010166:Palliative Care; D011474:Prosthesis Design; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015607:Stents / Q000009:adverse effects; D055815:Young Adult