Morbidity and mortality of operative intubation for malignant oesophageal obstruction.

In 33 patients who underwent operative intubation of carcinoma of the oesophagus or gastric cardia, there were nine postoperative deaths (mortality 27%). Only 15 patients (46%) had no further operative procedure or anaesthetics, but their mean survival was only 3.7 months. Nine patients (27%) required a total of 17 procedures after the placement of their original tube. Operative intubation has a similar mortality to resection but the survival times are short. Whenever possible palliative resection or endoscopic intubation is to be recommended.