Stent-induced esophageal perforation: treatment by means of placing a second stent after removal of the original stent.

A case of esophageal perforation caused by a retrievable covered stent is presented. The distal end of the stent was protruding into the mediastinum, which made it impossible to negotiate a guidewire through the stent into the distal esophagus. The stent was successfully removed with use of a stent retrieval set, and esophageal perforation was treated with a second, covered stent with a good result. Fatality associated with this complication might be prevented by virtue of the retrievability of the stent we used. This result points to the effectiveness of a retrievable stent for the palliative treatment of malignant esophageal stricture.