Comparative retrospective study on the use of plastic prostheses and self-expanding metal stents in the palliative treatment of malignant strictures of the esophagus and cardia.

Palliative treatment of malignant strictures of the esophagus and cardia is usually carried out by the endoscopic placement of a prosthesis. The aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate short- and long-term outcomes of the use of expandable stents, compared with conventional plastic prostheses. One hundred and thirteen endoscopic intubations were carried out in 120 patients affected by malignant stenosis of the esophagus and cardia using plastic prosthesis and self-expanding metal stents. Dysphagia was scored according to Atkinson and Ferguson's classification and the preoperative median score (3.6) was comparable in both groups. The technical success rate was 94.4% with plastic prosthesis and 93.7% with self-expanding metal stent while the functional success rate was, respectively, 85.2% and 88.8%. Three deaths occurred with plastic prostheses (4.4%), while no deaths were observed with metal stents. A comparative analysis of the results of this study suggests that the endoscopic placement of self-expanding metal stents is effective and safe and has to be preferred to the conventional plastic prosthesis for easier implantation and lower morbidity.