The treatment of secondary tracheo-esophageal fistular with withdrawable sigma stent / 中华胸心血管外科杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To evaluate the feasibility and advantage of using withdrawable Sigma stent for the treatment of tracheo-esophageal fistular. Methods The stents were placed into trachea or/and esophagus by interventional or/and endoscopic technique. Results Esophageal cancerin 17 and benign disease in 2. Totally 38 stents were placed in 19 cases of patients (trachea 19, main bronchus 1, esophagus 18). Only one tracheal stent was placed in 2 cases. Two stents(one in trachea, another in esophagus) were placed in 15 cases ( 11 cases with 2 tubular type stent, 4 cases with one tubular and one bifurcated type stent). Three stents were placed in 2 cases. One stage placement of the stent in 35, withdrawed the stent and reinserted again in 3. All the patients have normal meal 2～4 days postoperatively. Only one patient had a little contrast in the trachea during X-ray exam but without symptoms, the fistulae completely sealed in 18 cases. Follow-up was fron 3 months to 3 year. 10 patients were still alive; the longest survival is 18 months. There were 9 deaths. The causes of death were pulmonary infection in 1, hemorrhage in 1, and systemic metastasis in 7 cases. Conclusion Sigma stent is can effectively treat tracheal or/and esophageal stenosis or fistular.