Expandable metal stents in palliative treatment of malignant colorectal stricture. A report of 17 consecutive patients

Objective - Several endoscopic procedures have been used to avoid a colosto my in palliative treatment Of occlusive colorectal cancer. The aim of this study was to evaluate in intent to treat the long term effectiveness and sa fely of self-expanding metal stents as a palliative treatment in patients w ith neoplastic colonic obstruction. Patients and methods - From December 1997 to June 2000, seventeen patients were treated with 21 colonic stents. Sites of obstruction were high rectum in 3, sigmoid in I I and left colon in 3. Results - Stent placement was successful in 16/17 patients (94%). Relief of bowel obstruction occurred in 13 patients (74%) in the first 48 hours. Exp andable metal stent achieved an effective bowel transit until death in 9 of the 17 patients (53%). Clinical complications occurred in 6 patients (35%) : 2 perforations, 2 migrations, I rectal bleeding and I dislocation of the stent. Subsequent colostomy was clone in 5 patients Conclusion - Colonic stenting is an alternative palliative treatment in mal ignant colorectal structure. However, morbidity and need for subsequent col ostomy should be taken into account.