ABSTRACT
Objective To explore the efficacy and safety of improved covered metallic stents for proximal malignant esophageal strictures.Methods A total of 56 patients with proximal malignant esophageal strictures were treated with improved covered metallic stents whose diameter was 14 mm or 16 mm at Shanxi Province Tumor Hospital from Feburary 2013 to August 2014.Swallowing condition, physical and life quality were compared before and after surgery and analyzed.At the same time, side effects and complications were recorded during and after surgery.Results All 56 patients were treated successfully with improved covered metallic stents, no complications related with stents occurred after surgery.Swallowing conditions were improved after surgery, there were 45 patients with obvious improvement, 10 patients with better improvement and 1 patient's stent taken out due to stent intolerance.Remission rate of swallowing conditions was 98.2％ (55/56).Two weeks after surgery, Stooler of swallowing conditions obviously improved (t =7.05, P ＜ 0.05), physical conditions (ZPS) also improved (t =22.49, P ＜ 0.05), but there was no significant difference in life quality (Kamofsky scores) (t =1.07, P ＞ 0.05).During 90 days of follow-up there was no hemorrhage or perforation.Conclusion The application of improved covered metallic stents for proximal malignant esophageal strictures is safe and effective.