Pharyngo-esophageal prostheses in malignancies of the cervical esophagus.

Cervical location of inoperable esophageal carcinoma is usually considered a contraindication of palliative intubation due to technical limitations and complications of the procedure. Between 1978 and 1989, 32 patients with inoperable cancer of the cervical esophagus were treated endoscopically at the Endoscopy Division of the National Cancer Institute, Milan. Eight of them underwent endoscopic intubation. The prostheses were tolerated well and did not cause any respiratory impairment. No complications related to the procedure were observed. In seven of the patients resumption of oral nutrition led to improvement of the general condition. The mean survival time was 5.5 months (range 0.5-23 months).