Use of fully covered self-expanding metal stents in benign biliary diseases

Biliary fully covered self-expanding metal stents (FCSEMS) are now being used to treat several benign biliary conditions. Advantages include small predeployment and large postexpansion diameters in addition to an easy insertion technique. Lack of imbedding of the metal into the bile duct wall enables removability. In benign biliary strictures that usually require multiple procedures, despite the substantially higher cost of FCSEMS compared with plastic stents, the use of FCSEMS is offset by the reduced number of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography interventions required to achieve stricture resolution. In the same way, FCSEMS have also been employed to treat complex bile leaks, perforation and bleeding after endoscopic biliary sphincterotomy and as an aid to maintain permanent drainage tracts obtained by means of Endoscopic Ultrasound-guided biliary drainage. Good success rates have been achieved in all these conditions with an acceptable number of complications. FCSEMS were successfully removed in all patients. Comparative studies of FCSEMS and plastic stents are needed to demonstrate efficacy and cost-effectiveness

Colorectal stenting as first-line treatment in acute colonic obstruction

Tumoral obstructions in almost the entire gastrointestinal tract can be resolved with interventional digestive endoscopy techniques. Self-expanding metal stent(SEMS) insertion in the obstructed colon is a minimally invasive and relatively simple procedure providing an effective first-line treatment for relief of acute malignant obstruction symptoms and serving either as a preoperative or "bridge to surgery" procedure or as palliative definitive care. This technique was introduced in the early 1990s. Although there is still debate about its real value, a lot of reports have been published since then and the procedure is advocated by many surgical groups as the method of choice for the initial treatment of left-sided tumoral colonic obstruction. Before the procedure, colonic obstruction has to be diagnosed by abdominal radiographs, water contrast enema and/or a computed tomography scan. The greatest information is provided by the latter and it is perhaps the method of choice prior to stenting. Skills and training are mandatory, as in all interventional procedures. The key step for success is to cross the malignant stricture with a guidewire. Care must be taken not to over insufflate an obstructed colon during the procedure. SEMS slide over the guidewire through the endoscope working channel or in parallel, outside the endoscope. An average 7%perforation rate has been reported during the procedure and other minor complications can appear in the follow up. However, as a whole, this technique seems to compare favorably with surgery.

Stenting of strictures close to the upper esophageal sphincter with the Polyflex stent

Stent insertion in strictures in the upper cervical esophagus present special difficulties,such as patient discomfort and worry due to continuous neck globus sensation and a metallic taste.Additionally,the endoscopist needs to have great skill to properly adjust the proximal stent end.We present the experience of stenting high cervical esophageal strictures with a selfexpanding plastic stent(Polyflex),in three tumoral and one postoperative benign stenosis.Dysphagia disappeared and the endoprosthesis was well tolerated.The Polyflex stent seems to be suitable for insertion in the upper esophagus.