[Balloon dilatation of cervical anastomosis stricture after subtotal resection of the esophagus]. / Szubtotális nyelócsó-resectio után kialakult nyaki anastomosisszukület endoszkópos tágítása és annak eredményei.

AIMS: The stricture of the anastomosis is one of the most common complications of the subtotal esophageal resections. The authors present indications, technics and results of the endoscopic dilatation. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In a 10 year period 26 patients (22 male, 4 female, mean age of 53.7 years) with stricture of anastomosis between the esophagus and the neo-esophagus after subtotal esophageal resection were dilated endoscopically 82 times. The indication of the resection was tumour in 23 (88.5%) cases, congenital atresia in 2 (7.7%) cases and corrosive disease in one (3.8%) case. In 7 (31.8%) cases the stricture developed after anastomosis leakage. The mean time between the operation and the dilatation was 7.8 months. The cause of the stricture was cancer recurrency in 4 (15.4%) cases. RESULTS: There were no complications related to the dilatation. The mean number of the dilatation was 3.2 (1-9). There was no significant difference between the number of dilatation in patients with or without previously anastomotic leakage. The success rate of the dilatation for benign strictures was 95.5%. In only one patient (4.5%) was needed operative intervention. In the 4 patients with tumour recurrency a stent was also implanted in the stenosis. CONCLUSIONS: The endoscopic dilatation for the treatment of the cervical anastomosis stricture after subtotal esophageal resection is a successful method with a low rate of complications. In cases of tumour recurrency a stent implantation is suggested.

[Use of self-expanding stents in benign and malignant esophageal disease]. / Ontáguló stentek alkalmazása benignus es malignus nyelocsobetegségekben.

Of patients with malignant esophageal tumors, more than the half has incurable disease at the time of diagnosis. In such cases, quality of life and ability to swallow should be improved or restored by palliating the process e.g. by inserting esophageal stents. In the recent years, use of covered self-expandable metal stents (SEMS) has led to an increased success rate in the palliative treatment of--mainly malignant--strictures of the esophagus. High occurrence of complications (perforation, bleeding) associated with the use of rigid plastic esophageal stents necessitated the development of flexible stents. First generation self-expandable stents were made of special metal alloys, such as nickel-titanium. In the recent years, self-expandable plastic stents are available, too, offering new alternatives in the palliative treatment of esophageal diseases. In our present review article, we discuss the most important aspects about the use of self-expanding esophageal stents, based on recent clinical observations and data.