Radiologic dilatation preceding palliative surgical tube placement for esophageal cancer.

A new two-stage technique is reported for tube placement in the palliative treatment of esophageal cancer. The first step consists of radiologic intervention with balloon dilatation of the stricture. The patient is then transferred to the operating room, where the permanent esophageal tube placement is performed. A comparison of technique-related complications in a group of 34 patients with esophageal malignancies who had a permanent tube inserted by either the two-stage technique or by a standard endoscopic operative method show the new technique to have fewer complications and markedly decreased operative time.