Treatment of a malignant esophageal fistula with a Gore-Tex-covered flexible nitinol stent

In order to treat fistulated esophageal cancer using a flexible stent, a covered flexible stent was constructed by wrapping a nitinol stent with a thin sheet of Gore-Tex, preserving the stents original advantages of flexibility and a low-profile introducer system. This stent was used to perform standard radiotherapy in a case of fistulated esophageal cancer.     

Covered metal stent for tumor obstruction of efferent loop recurrence after gastrectomy

Reports the case of a 60-year-old woman who underwent R2 total gastrectomy, and subsequent palliation of painful symptom recurrence via a membrane-covered metal stent. Received: 13 June 1996/Accepted: 31 July 1996     

Covered exstrophy: a rare variant

A case of covered exstrophy without sequestration of a bowel segment is reported. A 4-year-old female presented with dribbling of urine. Treatment to date has been simple excision of the covered membrane with functional closure of the bladder and bilateral posterior iliac osteotomies, with reconstruction of the bladder neck and genitalia to be performed at a later date. The embryogenesis of this rare variant, a review of the reported cases, and management options are discussed. Accepted: 6 November 1997     

覆膜支架在颈内动脉海绵窦段病变治疗中的应用

目的 评价应用覆膜支架治疗颈内动脉海绵窦段病变的价值.方法 采用覆膜支架治疗11例颈内动脉海绵窦段病变,其中颈内动脉海绵窦瘘5例,颈内动脉海绵窦段动脉瘤6例,术后1年行全脑血管造影随访和临床随访.结果 11例患者中,成功应用覆膜支架治疗9例,成功置入覆膜支架的9例患者,术后即刻血管造影显示病变完全消失,临床症状逐渐好转,无手术相关并发症,术后1年行全脑血管造影复查8例,结果显示病变消失,责任动脉均保持通畅.结论 覆膜支架在处理颈内动脉海绵窦段动脉瘤或颈内动脉海绵窦瘘方面,有治疗成功率高,疗效好,并发症少,复发率低等特点,值得推广.     

Polyurethane-covered wallstents to recanalize wallstents obstructed by tumor ingrowth from malignant common bile duct obstruction

Four patients with malignant obstruction of the common bile duct had been treated with uncovered Wallstents and suffered from a reobstruction after 2-13 months (mean 5.3 months). Repeat cholangiography revealed severe stenosis of the stent lumen caused by tumor ingrowth through the mesh. A Wallstent with a self-made polyurethane-cover was inserted through the uncovered stent in these patients. The four patients were followed for 3-13 months (mean 6.3 months) until death. There was good drainage with no evidence of recurrent obstruction in all patients. We conclude that a covered Wallstent may extend patency of stented bile ducts, preventing tumor ingrowth in patients with neoplastic obstruction. Further observations are needed.     

Assessment of a Polyester-Covered Nitinol Stent in the Canine Aorta and Iliac Arteries

Purpose: To evaluate the patency and healing characteristics of a woven polyester fabric-covered stent in the canine model. Methods: Twenty-four self-expanding covered stents were placed in the infrarenal aorta and bilateral common iliac arteries of eight dogs and evaluated at 1 (n = 2), 3 (n = 2), and 6 (n = 4) months. Stent assessment was done using angiography prior to euthanasia, and light and scanning electron microscopy. Results: Angiographically, just prior to euthanasia, 8 of 8 aortic and 14 of 16 iliac endovascular covered stents were patent. Histologically, the stented regions showed complete endothelialization 6 months after graft implantation. A neointima had formed inside the stented vessel regions resulting in complete encasement of the fabric-covered stent by 3 months after graft implantation. Medial compression with smooth muscle cell atrophy was present in all stented regions. Explanted stent wires, examined by scanning electron microscopy, showed pitting but no cracks or breakage. Conclusion: The covered stent demonstrated predictable healing and is effective in preventing stenosis in vessels 10.0 mm or greater in diameter but does not completely preclude stenosis in vessels 6.0 mm or less in diameter.     

Bronchobiliary Fistula Treated by Self-expanding ePTFE-Covered Nitinol Stent-Graft

A 71-year-old man, who had undergone right hepatectomy extended to the caudate lobe with terminolateral Roux-en-Y left hepatojejunostomy for a Klatskin tumor, developed bilioptysis 3 weeks postoperatively due to bronchobiliary fistula. Percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography revealed a non-dilated biliary system with contrast medium extravasation to the right subphrenic space through a resected anomalous right posterior segmental duct. After initial unsuccessful internal-external biliary drainage, the fistula was sealed with a VIATORR covered self-expanding nitinol stent-graft placed with its distal uncovered region in the hepatojejunal anastomosis and the proximal ePTFE-lined region in the left hepatic duct. A 10-month follow-up revealed no recurrence of bilioptysis and confirmed the complete exclusion of the bronchobiliary fistula.     

国产覆膜支架治疗食管癌致食管-气管瘘临床观察

目的：评价国产覆膜支架治疗恶性食管一气管瘘的疗效，并对有关技术问题进行探讨。方法：全组共30例．男性18例，女性12例，年龄45～65岁，20例有放疗史。采用国产CZES-Ⅱ型覆膜食管支架，在X线电视监视下引入导丝。首先将食管狭窄处进行扩张，沿导丝插入支架输送器，支架和瘘口准确定位后，释放支架。术后定期随访，评价疗效。结果：30例中除3例瘘口未能封堵外，其余27例均放置成功（90％），植入后口服泛影葡胺证实瘘口被封堵，术后患者呛咳立即停止，恢复进食。随访1～12个月，未发现食管-气管瘘复发及支架移位。结论：采用国产覆膜食管支架治疗食管-气管瘘是一种简便、安全、有效、患者易于接受的姑息性治疗方法。     

Successful utilization of coronary covered stents to treat a common hepatic artery pseudoaneurysm secondary to pancreatic fistula after Whipple’s procedure: Report of a case

A 73-year-old man underwent a pylorus-preserving Whipple’s procedure for distal cholangiocarcinoma. His postoperative course was complicated by the formation of a pancreatic fistula, which was initially managed conservatively. On postoperative day (POD) 86, he lost 100 ml of blood from the site of the pancreatic fistula. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) showed a pseudoaneurysm, 12 mm in diameter, in the common hepatic artery. The diameter of the pseudoaneurysm increased to 15 mm on POD 89, so we implanted coronary covered stents to prevent massive bleeding from rupture and to retain hepatic arterial flow. Six days after implantation, computed tomography findings confirmed a thrombosed pseudoaneurysm as well as patent hepatic arterial flow. Follow-up CT 18 months after surgery showed patent hepatic arterial flow. There have been no signs of rebleeding or abnormal liver function.