Palliative management of malignant antro-pyloric strictures. Gastroenterostomy vs. endoscopic stenting. A randomized prospective trial

BACKGROUND: Gastroenterostomy was the palliative treatment of choice in patients with malignant unresectable gastric outlet obstruction. Palliative endoscopic treatment of malignant gastric outlet obstruction with endoluminal self-expanding metallic stents is nowadays a well-established procedure. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Eighteen patients referred for treatment with diagnosis of malignant strictures of the antro-pyloric tract presenting at an advanced unresectable stage. The patients were randomly assigned into two treatment groups (endoscopic vs. surgery) according to random-number tables. The length of procedure, morbidity and mortality rate, restoration of oral intake and gastric emptying at 8, 15 days and 3 months from treatment and hospital stay were assessed. RESULTS: Endoscopic group: The median length of procedure was 40 minutes. No death and one minor complication (11.1%) was reported. Mean time for oral intake was 2.1 days. Gastric emptying was satisfactory in 88.9% after 8 days and in 100% of patients after 15 days and 3 months. The median hospital stay was 3.1 days. Surgery group: The median length of the operation was 93 minutes. No mortality was reported. One patient (11.1%) developed anastomotic bleeding which required relaparotomy. Mean time for oral intake was 6.3 days. Gastric emptying was satisfactory in 66.7% of patients after 8 days, in 88.9% after 15 days and in 100% after 3 months. The median hospital stay was 10 days. CONCLUSION: There were no statistically significant differences between the 2 groups even with respect to morbidity, mortality, delayed gastric emptying and clinical outcomes at 3-month follow-up. Endoscopic stenting was significantly more effective with respect to operative time, restoration of oral intake and median hospitalization. Our results would suggest that endoscopically placed metal stents offer an effective alternative to surgical palliation in patients with unresectable malignant strictures.     

Endoscopic stenting versus operative gastrojejunostomy for malignant gastric outlet obstruction-a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized and non-randomized trials

Background

Open surgical gastrojejunostomy (GJ) has been the treatment of choice, but it has high morbidity and mortality rates. During the last decade, endoscopic self-expandable metal stents (SEMS) have been used. This meta-analysis aimed to compare surgical GJ and endoscopic stenting in palliation of malignant gastric outlet obstruction (GOO).

Methods

A systematic search was conducted using MEDLINE, PubMed, EMBASE, Current Contents Connect, Cochrane library, Google Scholar, Science Direct, and Web of Science. The search identified 3 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and 14 non-RCTs reporting on patients who underwent surgical GJ or endoscopic stenting for malignant gastroduodenal outflow obstruction

Results

The results of the three RCTs demonstrated that SEMS resulted in comparable major [odds ratio (OR): 0.62, 95% confidence intervals (CI): 0.021-18.371] and minor (OR: 0.32, 95% CI: 0.049-2.089) complications in a shorter time to tolerating an oral intake (SEMS: 3.55 days and GJ: 7.15 days) and shorter hospital stay (SEMS: 5.1 days and GJ: 12.13 days, however, statistical insignificant P value =0.11). Among the non RCTs: SEMS resulted in a shorter time to tolerating an oral intake (SEMS: 1.48 days and GJ: 8.07 days, P value <0.01), similar rate of complications (OR: 0.33, 95% CI: 0.1-1.08), lower mortality (OR: 0.5, 95% CI: 0.21-1.20, P value <0.01) and a shorter hospital stay (SEMS: 7.61 days and GJ: 19.04 days, P value <0.0001). There was no significant difference between median survival times among RCTs and non RCTs.

Conclusions

These findings suggest that stent placement is associated with better short-term outcomes and hence, duodenal stenting is a safe means of palliating malignant gastric outflow obstruction. However, a large RCT is needed to systematically compare stent placement with GJ with regard to medical effects, quality of life and costs.     

Malignant distal biliary obstruction: a systematic review and meta-analysis of endoscopic and surgical bypass results

BACKGROUND: Surgical bypass and endoscopic stents are available for palliative bypass of malignant distal biliary obstruction. AIM: Comparison of reported outcomes in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) which included surgery, endoscopic plastic stents or endoscopic metal stents in palliative relief of malignant distal biliary obstruction. METHODS: Systematic review and meta-analysis of published literature and conference proceedings review to June 2006. RESULTS: We found 24 studies, containing 2436 patients, which met our inclusion criteria. Endoscopic stenting with plastic stents (three studies) is associated with a lower risk of complications (RR 0.60, 95% CI 0.45-0.81), but a higher risk of recurrent biliary obstruction (RR 18.59, 95% CI 5.33 -64.86) than traditional surgical bypass. Self-expanding metal stents (seven studies) are associated with a significantly reduced risk of recurrent biliary obstruction at 4 months (RR 0.44, 95% CI 0.3, 0.63), or prior to death or end of study (RR 0.52, 95% CI 0.39-0.69), but are not superior to plastic stents in terms of technical success, therapeutic success, mortality or complications. Cost-effectiveness outcomes were not suitable for meta-analysis. No other plastic stent designs have been demonstrated to be superior to polyethylene stents (12 studies). CONCLUSIONS: Endoscopic metal stents are the intervention of choice in patients with malignant distal biliary obstruction, producing similar outcomes to plastic stents, but with improved patency rates.     

Clinical outcome of the use of self-expandable metallic stents (SEMS) for palliation of patients with malignant upper GI obstruction caused by incurable gastric cancer

Ten patients with malignant upper gastrointestinal obstruction caused by incurable gastric cancer underwent an endoscopic placement of self-expandable metallic stents for palliation. There were 6 male and 4 female patients aged 39-98 (median, 65.5). The site of obstruction was the cardia in 2, the pylorus in 4, the duodenum in 1, and surgical anastomosis in 3 patients. All the patients were unable to take food orally. Stent deployment was technically successful in all patients. After the stent insertion, 80% of patients resumed solid diet. The median survival time after the insertion was 129 days. The median length of home stay after the procedure was 54.5 days. Although chemotherapy was added in 5 patients after the insertion, there were no significant differences either in survival time or in home stay between the patients with and without chemotherapy. No procedure-related mortality was observed. Mediastinitis occurred in 1 patient, and the remaining 9 patients had no serious complications. Stent migration was observed in 2 patients, and stent occlusion due to tumor ingrowth occurred in 4 patients.     

Mortality and morbidity of primary pharyngogastric anastomosis following circumferential excision for hypopharyngeal malignancies

Seventy-five patients underwent gastric transposition for replacement of the pharyngoesophagus. These patients had primary or recurrent malignant tumors of the hypopharynx, postcricoid region, and cervical esophagus. The operative procedure consisted of a transhiatal esophagectomy and gastric pull-up to establish gastrointestinal continuity, with a unilateral or bilateral neck dissection where indicated. Seven patients died, a mortality rate of 9.33%. The average hospital stay of uncomplicated cases was 18 days and for complicated cases was 40 days. Immediate restoration of oral intake was achieved in 70.6% of patients. We conclude that gastric transposition after circumferential laryngopharyngeal excision is a procedure with low mortality and acceptable morbidity leading to early relief of dysphagia.     

恶性梗阻性黄疸的内镜姑息治疗(附929例报道)

Objective:To review the experience with endoscopic palliative treatment for malignant obstructive jaundice (MOJ) in 929 patients. Methods:929 patients (598 males and 331 females) underwent 1215 endoscopic palliative drainages for MOJ in our hospital. Tumor obstruetion oeeurred in the distal common bile duet(CBD)(263 patients), the middle CBD (43),and the hilum(909).The mean bilirubin level was 284.3 μmol/L(range 26-810). Of the 1215 drainages, 599 were performed by stenting with plastic endoprosthesis, 385 by naso-biliary eatheterization, 167 by expandable metal stents,39 by combined drainage method,19 by tumor sphincterotomy and 6 by endoseopie fistulostomy. Results:The successful rate of endoscopic procedure was 94.3%. The jaundice symptom was improved in 81.8% of the patients with a significant reduetion of serum bilirubin in 64.7%. The complication after treatment occurred in 23 eases (2.6%), including eholangitis(23 eases), panereatitis (8 eases), and bleeding (one ease), and 3 eases were dead (0.2%).The median survival time of all patients was 14 months and life time analysis showed a life expectancy of 75.9%, 44.0% and 25.2% at 1, 2 and 3 years respectively. Conclusion:In the patients with MOJ seeondary to panereatobiliary malignancy, sueeessful endoscopic drainage provides adequate relief of biliary obstruetion and is associated with low morbidity and mortality. Enduseopie interventional treatment may be considered as an alternative of palliative biliary operation for the late stage of pancreatic and biliary malignaneies.     

Initial and long-term outcome after palliative surgical drainage of 269 patients with malignant biliary obstruction.

AIMS: This study aimed to analyse the current outcome after palliative surgical drainage of malignant biliary obstruction. METHOD: From 1992 to 2003, perioperative parameters and the incidence and indications of readmissions were analysed in 269 patients who underwent a palliative biliary bypass for periampullary carcinoma. RESULTS: Hospital mortality occurred in seven patients and median postoperative stay was 10 days. Anastomotic leakage occurred in three patients and intraabdominal haemorrhage in eight patients. Overall 75 patients experienced a complication. Nine patients underwent a relaparotomy during initial hospital admission. Overall, 142 patients were readmitted, 13 for indications related to the biliary bypass, 11 for surgery-related indications. Twenty-five patients were readmitted for radiochemotherapy, 112 for progressive disease and 23 for indications not related to the disease. Median survival was 7.5 months and the 3-year survival 3%. Survival was significantly lower in patients with metastases and in those who underwent elective bypass for gastric outlet obstruction. CONCLUSION: Current hospital mortality after palliative biliary bypass as well as readmission rates for complications related to the biliary bypass or surgical procedure are low. Surgical biliary bypass is a safe and effective palliative treatment for patients with malignant biliary obstruction.     

肠道支架置入联合腹腔镜手术治疗左半结肠癌梗阻的疗效分析

目的:比较加速康复外科理念指导下的肠道支架置入后联合腹腔镜手术与急诊开腹手术治疗左半结肠癌性梗阻患者的短期疗效,探讨加速康复外科理念指导下肠道支架置入后腹腔镜手术在左半结肠癌梗阻治疗中的应用效果.方法:回顾性分析2016年01月至2019年10月在我院普外一科治疗的56例左半结肠癌并完全性肠梗阻患者.根据治疗方式将患者...     

Risk Factors of Duodenobiliary Reflux-Related Dysfunction of Covered Biliary Metal Stents after Treatment of Duodenal Stricture in Patients with Malignant Biliary and Duodenal Obstruction

Duodenal obstruction is often accompanied with unresectable malignant distal biliary obstruction in patients who have undergone biliary self-expandable metal stent (SEMS) placement. Duodenobiliary reflux (DBR) is a major cause of recurrent biliary obstruction (RBO) after covered biliary SEMS placement. We analyzed the risk factors for DBR-related SEMS dysfunction following treatment for malignant duodenal obstruction. Sixty-one patients with covered SEMS who underwent treatment for duodenal obstruction were included. We excluded patients with tumor-related stent dysfunction (n = 6) or metal stent migration (n = 1). Fifty-four patients who underwent covered biliary SEMS placement followed by duodenal metal stenting or surgical gastrojejunostomy were included. Eleven patients had DBR-related biliary SEMS dysfunction after treatment of duodenal obstruction. There was no difference between the duodenal metal stenting group and the surgical gastrojejunostomy group. Duodenal obstruction below the papilla of Vater and a score of ≤2 on the Gastric Outlet Obstruction Scoring System after treatment for duodenal obstruction were associated with DBR-related covered biliary SEMS dysfunction. Thus, creating a reliable route for ensuring good oral intake and avoiding DBR in patients with duodenal obstruction below the papilla of Vater are both important factors in preventing DBR-related covered biliary SEMS dysfunction.     

Endoscopic treatment of malignant stenosis in home care

At our institute, we have tried to increase the patient's quality of life (QOL) by endoscopic stenting for upper intestinal stenosis due to malignant tumor, which could not be treated by surgery or chemotherapy. We report the endoscopic stenting and home therapy for those patients. The subjects were 44: (esophageal stenosis: 13 cases, biliary stenosis: 31 cases) out of 60 patients who had intestinal stenosis or obstruction, which could not be treated by surgery or chemotherapy. Esophageal stenosis was treated mainly by stenting and laser cautery, and biliary stenosis was treated by drainage using stenting. The home stay period, effective treat period, life survival period, and complications were analyzed in each case. It was found that the mean home stay period, mean effective treatment period, and mean life survival period were 3.4 months, 4.0 months, and 5.5 months, respectively, with esophageal stenosis, and 3.7 months, 4.4 months, 5.5 months with biliary stenosis. Mean home stay period/life survival period was 62% in cases of esophageal stenosis, and 67% in cases of biliary stenosis. Complications were observed in 40.0% of patients with esophageal stenting and in 12.5% with biliary stenting. Esophageal stenting showed a higher incidence of complications; however improvements in the stenting instrument will reduce the number of complications. Endoscopic stenting is thus effective for upper intestinal stenosis due to malignant tumor, especially in increasing the patient's QOL when curative therapy is not indicated, and the patient stays at home. We believe patients with uncurable malignant disease should have home treatment as early as possible.     

Covered stents versus uncovered stents for the palliation of malignant extrahepatic biliary obstruction caused by direct tumor invasion: a cohort comparative study

Biliary stenting is a well-established palliative treatment in patients with unresectable malignant biliary strictures. The aim of the present study was to compare clinical outcomes of covered and uncovered stents in patients with malignant extrahepatic biliary obstruction caused by direct tumor invasion. Patients diagnosed with malignant extrahepatic biliary obstruction caused by direct tumor invasion were enrolled in this study. Of these patients, 37 received ePTFE-covered stent placement and were prospectively studied, and 47 received uncovered stent placement and were retrospectively studied. The technical success rate, tumor ingrowth rate, complication rate, stent patency, and patient survival were evaluated for both groups. Stent placement was successful in all cases except one in the covered group due to stent kinking. Tumor ingrowth occurred exclusively in the uncovered group. No significant differences were observed for the complication rate and patient survival between the two groups. Three patients in the covered group experienced stent migration, whereas no patients did in the uncovered group. A significant difference was found regarding stent patency, which was greater for the covered group compared to the uncovered group. The placement of ePTFE-covered stents for the treatment of malignant biliary obstruction caused by direct tumor invasion was a safe and an effective method characterized by greater stent patency.     

Palliative interventionelle und chirurgische Therapie des Pankreaskarzinoms

The majority of patients with pancreatic cancer are found to be unresectable due to infiltrative growth of the tumor into the celiac axis and the superior mesenteric vessels and/or due to distal metastases. Pancreatic cancer arises predominantly in the head of the pancreas. The patients come to medical attention when they develop jaundice secondary to obstruction of the distal common bile duct. Biliary decompression with stenting can be achieved by either endoscopic methods (ERC) or percutaneous transhepatic cholangiodrainage (PTCD) into the duodenum or outside. Plastic stents tend to occlude faster than metal stents and have to be exchanged after 3 months. Mechanical obstruction of the duodenum with nausea and vomiting requires gastrojejunostomy. In individual cases duodenal stents are used to bypass duodenal obstruction. The aim of these procedures is to guarantee quality of life for the patient. Endoscopic versus surgical palliation has to be balanced for each patient individually.     

Colonic stenting for malignant disease: review of literature

Colonic stents potentially offer effective palliation for patients with bowel obstruction attributable to incurable malignancy, and a "bridge to surgery" for those in whom emergency surgery would necessitate a stoma. Literature search of the Medline, Scopus and Cochrane Library was performed to identify comparative studies reporting outcomes on colonic stenting and surgery for large bowel obstruction; and to identify the use of stents as a "bridge to the elective surgery". Colorectal stenting can be considered a safe and effective procedure with a low mortality and morbidity for both preoperative and palliative decompression of colonic obstruction.     

晚期肿瘤致输尿管梗阻支架置入困难的微创处理

目的:对微创手术技术处理恶性肿瘤致输尿管梗阻输尿管支架置入困难病人,探讨其手术方法、技巧等临床处理经验。方法:回顾性分析14例（19侧）恶性肿瘤继发输尿管梗阻输尿管支架置入困难的病人分别通过逆行输尿管扩张置管术、经皮肾穿刺顺行斑马导丝引导下置管术、微创经皮肾造瘘术解除梗阻,分析临床处理过程及治疗效果。结果:所有14例患者通过三种手术方式成功解除梗阻,随访所有患者肾功能在术后短期内恢复正常水平并顺利完成后续治疗,手术过程顺利,无重大并发症发生。结论:微创逆行输尿管扩张置管术、经皮肾穿刺顺行斑马导丝引导置管术和经皮肾穿刺造瘘术可以解决晚期肿瘤肾后性梗阻置管困难问题,是安全有效的手术方式。     

Endoscopic palliation of colorectal cancer

Multiple endoscopic options exist for physicians seeking to provide palliative therapy for patients with colorectal cancer. Endoscopic decompression tubes can allow urgent stabilization for patients with malignant obstruction requiring some form of surgical palliation. Patients who are not candidates for palliative surgery can experience good symptomatic relief from malignant large bowel obstruction via laser therapy or placement of a colonic stent. Laser therapy can be used in conjunction with SEMS to recanalize and decompress large bowel in certain situations. The use of colonic stents is rapidly becoming more commonplace as acceptance of the technique becomes more widespread. Patients with unresectable disease may be able to avoid surgery altogether and achieve successful and lasting palliation of large bowel obstruction. Overall, they provide effective and durable palliation in patients with malignant obstruction, have an excellent risk/benefit profile, and are within the technical means of both gastroenterologists and interventional radiologists.     

Bronchoscopic insertion of Gianturco stents for the palliation of malignant lung disease: 10 year experience

Malignant large airway obstruction is life threatening and may not be amenable to urgent radiotherapy. Palliative airway stenting is difficult and traditionally carried out under general anaesthesia and fluoroscopy. We have shown that self expanding Gianturco metal stents can be placed under local anaesthesia using fibreoptic bronchoscopy and direct vision for the treatment of malignant airway tumours, and report our 10 year experience. All referrals for stenting referred to our unit between 1990 and 1999 were included, looking for histological type, number and site of stents, complications of the procedure, other interventions, and survival. One hundred and sixty two patients (average age 64 years, (range 21-89)) had 307 stents inserted during 167 procedures (144 primary lung tumours, 18 secondary malignancy). There were no operative deaths, but three patients developed a pneumothorax, one requiring intercostal drain insertion. Average survival following stent insertion was less for primary lung cancer than for secondary disease (103 vs. 431 days, P<0.001). There were no excess complications in a subgroup of 64 patients treated locally by oncologists, even when stenting was the primary procedure. This technique is useful in palliating life threatening airway obstruction, particularly for secondary cancer, and can be used in any centre undertaking fibreoptic bronchoscopy.     

Carbon ion radiotherapy for unresectable sacral chordomas.

PURPOSE: The purpose is to evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of carbon ion radiotherapy for unresectable sacral chordomas. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: We performed a retrospective analysis of 30 patients with unresectable sacral chordomas treated with carbon ion radiotherapy at the Heavy Ion Medical Accelerator in Chiba, Japan. Twenty-three patients presented with no prior treatment, and the remaining 7 patients had locally recurrent disease following previous surgical resection. The median clinical target volume was 546 cm(3). The applied carbon ion dose ranged from 52.8 to 73.6 GyE (gray equivalent, median 70.4) in 16 fixed fractions over 4 weeks. RESULTS: At median follow-up of 30 months (range, 9 to 87 months), 26 patients were still alive and 24 patients remained continuously disease-free. Overall and cause-specific survival rates at 5 years were 52 and 94%, respectively. The overall local control rate at 5 years was 96%. Two patients experienced severe skin/soft tissue complications requiring skin grafts. No other treatment-related surgical interventions, including colostomy or urinary diversion, were carried out. All patients have remained ambulatory and able to stay at home after carbon ion radiotherapy. CONCLUSIONS: Carbon ion radiotherapy is effective and safe in the management of patients with unresectable sacral chordomas and offers a promising alternative to surgery.     

晚期宫颈癌并发双侧输尿管梗阻40例治疗预后分析

  目的   分析晚期宫颈癌并发双侧输尿管梗阻的预后因素, 探讨其治疗意义。   方法   通过肾图、CT、肾功能检查诊断晚期宫颈癌并发双侧输尿管梗阻患者40例, 膀胱镜下输尿管逆行置管内引流13例, 经皮肾穿刺输尿管顺行置管内引流25例、外引流2例, 肾功能恢复正常后行放射治疗29例, 对比研究输尿管导管置入前是否接受过治疗、肾功能是否正常, 置管后是否接受放疗三种因素对预后的影响。   结果   输尿管导管置入后肾功能恢复正常率为91.3% (21/23)。未治疗组、术后和放疗后复发组中位生存时间分别为27、15、10个月(χ2=9.379, P=0.009)。置管后接受放疗组与未行放疗组中位生存时间分别为25、9个月(χ2=17.329, P < 0.001), 置管前肾功能是否正常对预后影响无显著性差异(χ2=1.37, P=0.242)。   结论   对于初治或术后复发的宫颈癌并发双侧输尿管梗阻患者, 在解除输尿管梗阻后, 应接受放射治疗, 可获得较好疗效。      

Expandable metallic stent for the treatment of left-sided colonic obstruction with malignant disease

Recently, it was reported that an EMS (expandable metallic stent) was useful for treatment of colorectal obstruction. In our department, EMSs were used for seven patients with left-sided colonic obstruction with unresectable malignant disease. After these treatments with EMS, their symptoms were improved and they were able to intake food. Stomal formation was avoided except in one patient with severe soiling. In conclusion, EMS is thought to be useful for the improvement of quality of life in the patients with unresectable malignant colonic obstruction.     

A case of unresectable and multiple advanced primary cancers of the stomach and rectosigmoid colon with hepatic metastases successfully treated with FOLFIRI for local control of a gastric lesion

The patient was a 59-year-old man who was hospitalized at our department for intestinal obstruction. Contrast enhanced abdominal CT showed a rectosigmoid tumor invading the left pelvic wall and multiple metastatic hepatic tumors. Colonoscopy showed a type-2 cancer in the rectosigmoid region. The patient underwent sigmoid colostomy 3 days after admission. Postoperative upper gastrointestinal endoscopy showed a type 3 cancer in the fornix. From the above findings, the patient was diagnosed with unresectable gastric and rectosigmoid cancers with multiple hepatic metastases, and systemic chemotherapy was initiated. The first line treatment was two courses of S-1, but it was discontinued due to PD. FOLFIRI was begun as the second line treatment. After 5 courses of FOLFIRI, upper gastrointestinal endoscopy showed a marked reduction in tumor size. Twelve courses of FOLFIRI chemotherapy were performed in total. Subsequently, 11 courses of mFOLFOX6 and 1 course of RPMI were performed, but the patient died from carcinomatous peritonitis. However, the gastric lesion had been controlled well after the second line treatment. The findings of the present study suggested that FOLFIRI could be an effective treatment for unresectable multiple advanced cancers of the stomach and colorectal cancer.