Self-Expanding Metal Stents for the Treatment of Post-Surgical Esophageal Leaks: A Tertiary Referral Center Experience.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of self-expanding metal stents (SEMS) in the management of post-surgical esophageal leaks. METHODS: Retrospective data of consecutive patients with a post-surgical esophageal leak treated by means of a metal stent between January 2008 and December 2014 at the Humanitas Research Hospital (Milan, Italy) were extracted from a prospectively maintained register of SEMS used for benign indications, such as post-surgical benign esophageal strictures and/or leaks. The primary outcome of the study was to assess the rate of successful leak closure and to identify the variables associated with its achievement. As a secondary outcome, we evaluated the overall safety of SEMS placement and the efficacy and safety for different types of SEMS in this specific setting of patients. Leak resolution was documented with endoscopic and/or imaging studies. In the case of leak persistence, further attempts of esophageal stenting were carried out at the discretion of both endoscopists and surgeons. RESULTS: A total of 49 patients were included in the study (men 41 of 49, 83.7%, mean age 62.4 ± 11.9). One patient was excluded from analysis, because of death 1 day after stent insertion due to worsening of pre-existing mediastinitis. A total number of 82 stents were placed (mean number of stents per patient: 1.7) in 49 patients: 35 patients (71.4%) received a partially covered SEMS (PCSEMS) as the first stent positioned, while the remaining 14 (28.6%) received a fully covered SEMS (FCSEMS); but 1 patient (2%) died following stent insertion; therefore, data regarding therapeutic success were available for 48 patients. Stents were left in place for a mean period of 21.9 ± 15.2 days. Leak closure after the first stent placement was achieved in 22 of 48 (45.8%) patients. Of the 26 patients with failure of index stent placement, 18 patients underwent further stenting attempts (69.2%), and secondary closure of leak was achieved in 7 (38.9%) of these 18 patients. Thus, the overall success rate was 60.5% (29 of 48). On the basis of stent type, the success rate was 57.1% (8 of 14) for FCSEMS and 64.7% (22 of 34) for PCSEMS. Logistic regression analysis did not find any significant association between successful leak closure and analyzed variables. Overall mortality was 13.0%. Complication rate was 38.8% (19 of 49 patients). CONCLUSION: The use of SEMS is an effective and safe option for post-surgical esophageal leaks, with no evidence of any significant influence of stent type on outcome.