Partially-covered stent placement versus surgical gastrojejunostomy for the palliation of malignant gastroduodenal obstruction secondary to pancreatic cancer

Purpose

To compare the outcomes of partially covered self-expandable metallic stent (SEMS) placement with surgical gastrojejunostomy (GJ) in patients with gastroduodenal obstruction caused by pancreatic cancer.

Methods

The medical records of 107 patients with gastroduodenal obstruction caused by pancreatic cancer who underwent fluoroscopic partially covered SEMS placement (n = 75) or surgical GJ (n = 32) at our institution were reviewed.

Results

The technical (100% vs. 100%; P > 0.999) and clinical (98.7% vs. 96.9%; P = 0.511) success rates were similar between the SEMS and GJ group. The mean gastric outlet obstruction scoring system score was higher in the SEMS group at 1 week after treatment (2.3 ± 0.5 vs. 1.2 ± 0.4; P < 0.001) but was similar between the two groups at 1 month (2.7 ± 0.5 vs. 2.8 ± 0.5; P = 0.242). The median hospital stay was shorter in the SEMS group than in the GJ group (7 vs. 14 days; P < 0.001). The overall complication (22.7% vs. 28.1%; P = 0.547) and reintervention (21.3% vs. 25.0%; P = 0.677) rates were similar between the two groups. The median patency (99 vs. 138 days; P = 0.102) and survival (106 vs. 140 days; P = 0.245) were also similar between the two groups.

Conclusion

The outcomes of partially covered SEMS placement seem to be more favorable than surgical GJ in patients with gastroduodenal obstruction caused by pancreatic cancer.