Fluoroscopy guided stent placement for the treatment of malignant afferent loop obstruction

BACKGROUND & AIM: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of fluoroscopy guided stent placement for the treatment of malignant afferent loop obstruction (ALO). METHODS 12 patients with malignant ALO in whom fluoroscopy guided stent placement had been performed were analyzed retrospectively. The operation time, clinical efficacy, complications and postoperative hospitalization were observed. Follow-up was scheduled at 1 and 3 months after the operation, and every 3 months thereafter, or when the patients developed clinical symptoms related to ALO. RESULTS Stent placement was performed successfully in 11 patients with an average time of 37.9 ± 12.2 min. For the other one patient, we adopted transnasal drainage tube implantation in afferent loop instead of stent placement. All the patients had an obvious relief of clinical symptoms, and no serious complications occurred. During the follow-up, 1 patient had restenosis 12 months later as the tumor grew across the stent mesh. 7 patients died of tumor progression at 3, 4.5, 5, 7, 8, 11 and 15 months after the operation. CONCLUSION Fluoroscopy guided stent placement is an effective and safe method for the treatment of malignant ALO.