title: Biodegradable stents for the treatment of benign stenoses of the small and large intestines.
abstract: Biodegradable stents, which are made of various synthetic polymers, such as polylactide or polyglycolide, or co-polymers, such as polydioxanone, can be used for the treatment of benign refractory stenoses of the gastrointestinal tract. Here we report 11 patients (median age 41) with stenosing Crohn's disease of the small and/or large intestine. Endoscopic insertion of a biodegradable stent was successful at the first attempt in all patients except one. Subsequent follow-up was for a mean of 16 months, median 17 months, range 12-29 months. Early stent migration (between 2 days and 8 weeks) was seen in three patients. Mucosal overgrowth (epithelial hyperplasia) was not observed in any of the patients during the follow-up period. The high rate of early stent migration might be solved by appropriate tailoring and further improvements in the design of the biodegradable stents. Proof of long-term efficacy and safety requires further studies.
authors.affiliation: Second Department of Internal Medicine and University Department of Gastroenterology, Charles University Teaching Hospital, Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic. rejchrt@lfhk.cuni.cz
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rejchrt
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kopacova
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Brozik
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bures
mesh_terms: D020341:Absorbable Implants; D000328:Adult; D003106:Colon / Q000473:pathology; D003251:Constriction, Pathologic / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D003424:Crohn Disease / Q000150:complications; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007410:Intestinal Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D007421:Intestine, Small / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011475:Prosthesis Failure; D015607:Stents; D016896:Treatment Outcome