Self-Expanding Coil Stent with a Long Delivery System for Palliation of Unresectable Malignant Gastric Outlet Obstruction: A Prospective Study

Background and Study Aims: Peroral intubation of a self-expanding metal stent is usually difficult in patients with unresectable malignant gastric outlet obstruction, because the delivery systems currently available are not long enough and cannot easily pass the angulated gastroduodenal structure. We carried out a prospective study to assess the efficacy of a coil stent with a newly developed long delivery system, for palliation of unresectable malignant gastric outlet obstruction.

Patients and Methods: In 29 patients with unresectable malignant gastric outlet obstruction, caused by gastric cancer (26 patients), pancreatic head cancer (two patients), or duodenal cancer (one patient), peroral intubation of a self-expanding nickel-titanium coil stent was attempted, using a lengthened delivery system of 150cm, under endoscopic and fluoroscopic guidance.

Results: Management was successful in 26 of 29 patients (89.7 %) without immediate major complications. In one patient in whom peroral intubation failed, percutaneous intubation of the coil stent via percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy was done. After insertion of the coil stent, food ingestion with symptomatic improvement with regard to vomiting was achieved in 26 of 27 patients (96.3 %), including the patient with percutaneous stent insertion. During the follow-up period, dysphagia and Karnofsky scores improved significantly. Stent migration occurred in two patients, and tumor ingrowth in another two; re-intervention was done successfully performed in two instances. The mean survival time was 124 days (range 34 - 310 days) in the 22 patients who had no need for re-intervention during follow-up; among these was a patient who experienced stent occlusion by food material, which was easily corrected with endoscopic flushing.

Conclusions: Peroral intubation of a self-expanding coil stent using a long delivery system is a safe and effective palliative technique for unresectable malignant gastric outlet obstruction, and significantly improves the quality of life of patients.

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