ESOPHAGORESPIRATORY FISTULA ASSOCIATED WITH ESOPHAGEAL CANCER - TREATMENT WITH A GIANTURCO STENT TUBE

A self-expanding silicone-covered tube constructed of Gianturco stents was used for palliative treatment of esophagorespiratory fistula rela ted to esophageal carcinoma in eight patients. All eight were unable t o swallow food or water before treatment. The tubes were inserted unde r fluoroscopic guidance, without technical failure or complication. Cl inical improvement was determined by grading food intake capacity on a five-point scale: none, liquid, soft food, most food, or all food. Af ter the procedure, all fistulas were occluded. Four patients could swa llow most foods, two could swallow soft food, one could swallow all fo ods, and one (who died of preexisting pneumonia 10 days after the proc edure) could manage only liquids. Three patients were surviving withou t symptoms of aspiration for 4-24 weeks. Four patients died 6-16 weeks after placement of the stent tubes. Insertion of a silicone-covered s tent tube was an effective palliative treatment for esophagorespirator y fistulas caused by esophageal cancer.