Metallic self-expanding stent application in the upper gastrointestinal tract: caveats and concerns.

Ten patients with a variety of upper gastrointestinal tract stenoses precluding conventional prostheses or associated with recurrent occlusions of these prostheses, had an expandable metal Z stent placed. All patients had successful insertion (esophagus, five; biliary, three; afferent loop, one; efferent loop, one), although there was a tendency for the prostheses to delivery distally (gut) or proximally (biliary tree). Despite patency rates for up to 6 months in the esophagus and 1 year in the biliary tree, additional data and design modifications are required before widespread utilization.