Endoscopic insertion of 248 prostheses in inoperable carcinoma of the esophagus and cardia: short-term and long-term results.

We present our findings after 248 endoscopic intubations with the Nottingham introducer and more recently with the Dumon-Gilliard system for inoperable carcinoma of the esophagus and cardia. Mortality within the first week was 7.6% decreasing to 4.3% with the Dumon-Gilliard method. Survival after 3 months was 61.5%, after 6 months 32.3%, after 1 year 4.8%. The quality of swallowing was very good in 51.5% of the cases, while 36.7% of the patients suffered from dysphagia for semisolids and 10.1% for semiliquids. Obstruction occurred in 36 cases; proximal and distal dislocations were found in four cases each. In 20 patients with esophagorespiratory fistula we had an operative mortality of 15%, but 6-month survival was 35.7% and 1 year survival was 7.1%.