SELF-EXPANDING ESOPHAGEAL PROSTHESIS - EFFECTIVE PALLIATION FOR INOPERABLE CARCINOMA OF THE CERVICAL ESOPHAGUS

Whether to palliate dysphagia in patients with inoperable cancer of th e cervical esophagus is a debatable issue. We report herein a patient who underwent definitive chemoradiotherapy for cancer of the cervical esophagus, with early recurrence of dysphagia 1 month after the end of the treatment. No salvage surgery was attempted due to the poor gener al conditions and to the residual effects of the radiotherapy in the n eck. Endoscopically, the upper esophageal sphincter (UES) was located 17 cm from the incisors, and the cranial margin of an infiltrating str icture was just 1 cm below the sphincter. After endoscopic dilatation, a self-expanding esophageal prosthesis (Ultraflex, Microvasive, USA) was placed under endoscopic and radiologic control with the cranial ma rgin at the level of the UES. The patient promptly resumed oral feedin g and 2 months later he is still on unrestricted diet.