Gastrointestinal stenting

Acute obstructions of the gastric outlet, the duodenum, or the large bowel require rapid treatment to relieve symptoms of retention or ileus. Large-ca liber stents of 16 to 22 mm offer a new non-surgical alternative for treati ng these patients with high success rates. For gastroduodenal outlet obstru ctions palliated by self-expanded metal stents, clinical success rates are in the range of 80-100%. Preoperative treatment of colorectal obstructions successfully relieves acute symptoms of ileus in 87-100% allowing primary a nastomosis and thereby reducing the costs caused by mulitple operations and the need of intensive care by approximately 25%. It is the purpose of this review to familiarize the reader with the indications, possibilities limit s of intestinal stenting.