Dysphagia, regurgitation and hypersalivation due to local destruction or incessant
coughing in the presence of a tracheo-broncho-esophageal fistula become the most important
distressing factors in the end stage of malignancies in the upper gastrointestinal
tract. Inevitably such patients have a short life expectancy. It is often desirable
to avoid the morbidity associated with surgery, radiotherapy or chemotherapy. The
non-operative insertion of a prosthesis is increasingly being carried out to palliate
malignant dysphagia.
Endoscopic prostheses - Esophageal cancer - Tracheo-broncho-esophageal fistula
