Outcomes of endoscopically inserted self-expandable metal stents in malignancy according to the type of stent and the site of obstruction

Background/aims: Self-expandable metal stents (SEMSs) can be used for the palliation of malignant obstruction in the upper gastrointestinal tract. This study assessed the feasibility and efficacy of endoscopically inserted SEMSs for the palliation of malignant obstruction in the stomach and duodenum.

Methods: Between January 2011 and April 2014, 220 patients with gastric or duodenal obstruction due to malignancy underwent endoscopic SEMS insertion at Asan Medical Center. The associations of technical/clinical outcomes and complications with the type of stent and site of obstruction were analyzed.

Results: The 220 patients included 125 men (56.8 %) and 95 women (43.2 %); median patient age was 63 years. Fully covered, partially covered, and uncovered SEMSs were inserted into 16, 77, and 120 patients, respectively. Obstructions were located in the gastric outlet, including the duodenal bulb, in 106 patients, and in the duodenal second and third portions in 114 patients. Technical success was achieved in 213 of 220 patients (96.8 %) and clinical success in 184 of 213 (86.4 %). Clinical success rates were similar to the type of stent, but were significantly greater for gastric outlet (95/104, 91.3 %) than for duodenal (89/109, 81.7 %) obstructions (p = 0.039). Stent migration was observed in 20 patients (9.1 %) and stent obstruction in 51 (23.2 %). Rates of stent migration were significantly higher for fully covered (6/16, 37.5 %) than for partially covered (7/77, 9.1 %) and uncovered (7/120, 5.8 %) SEMSs (p < 0.001) and were significantly higher for gastric outlet (16/104, 15.4 %) than for duodenal (4/109, 1.2 %) obstructions (p = 0.003). Rates of stent obstruction were similar for fully covered (2/16, 12.5 %), partially covered (17/77, 22.1 %), and uncovered (32/120, 26.7 %) SEMSs (p = 0.409) and in patients with gastric outlet (26/104, 25.0 %) and duodenal (25/109, 22.9 %) obstruction (p = 0.724).

Conclusions: SEMS selection for malignant obstruction of the upper gastrointestinal tract depends on the site of obstruction.