Self-expandable coated stent after intraluminal treatment of esophageal cancer: a risky procedure?

Background. Stenting is a well established palliative treatment for stenotic malignant disease of the esophagus. Because of its merely mechanical potential other tumoricidal techniques are often done before stenting. Methods. We did esophageal stenting in 11 patients (9 men and 2 women) using a self-expanding coated stent system. Three tumors were localized in the proximal, four in the middle, and four in the distal third of the esophagus. In 9 patients tumors were locally or functional nonresectable, 1 patient refused an operation, and 1 had a recurrence after esophagojejunostomy. One patient had had pretreatment by repetitive dilatation and local hyperthermia, 9 had had photodynamic therapy followed by endoluminal iridium 192 high-dose rate brachyradiotherapy, and 1 patient was admitted with esophagotracheal fistula. The interval between the last endoluminal treatment and stent insertion was between 3 and 29 days (mean, 11 days). Results. In 7 patients (63.7%) no complications were observed. Four patients (36.3%) died of major complications within 1 week. Postmortem examination confirmed that the pressure of the fully expanding stent to the esophageal wall caused the rupture. Conclusion. The use of self-expanding coated stents in pretreated esophageal tumors is associated with a high risk of perforation due to pressure of the indwelling tube in a less resistant esophageal wall.