NITINOL SELF-EXPANDING STENTS - WHEN SEVERE TWISTING OCCURS, SELF-EXPANSION MAY ENSUE AFTER A WAITING PERIOD

One of the major disadvantages of nitinol endocoil stents is said to b e incomplete deployment leading to twisting and stent dysfunction. We report a patient with irresectable pancreatic head cancer where severe twisting of the nitinol stent occurred which resolved on the day afte r stent insertion; the stent took its normal shape ten days later; whe reafter the patient lived without stent-related problems for one year until his death. This shows that prospective management rather than im mediate stent extraction may be warranted in such cases of stent dysfu nction.