The medium and long-term therapeutic effect: clinical application of covered stent after operation or radiotherapy for esophageal cancer

Objective:To evaluate the medium and long-term therapeutic effect in covered stent for esophageal cancer after operation or radiotherapy.Methods:36 cases with esophageal stenosis or esophagus-trachea fistula were followed up for 21～86 months after inserting covered stent.There were 28 men and 8 women,aged from 40 to 84 years(mean 57.2 years).Follow-up esophagograms were obtained in all patients.Endoscopy was porformed on recurrent stenosis.Results:Stents were inserted successful in all patients.The mean survival time was 13.5 months(1 to 53 months) in 21 cases.There were 10 cases with tumor recurrent,2 cases metastuses,3 cases bleeding,2 cases pneumonia,4 cases died from complications or other reasons.There are 15 survivors,survival period was from 21 to 74 months.Conclusion:The covered stent has less medium therapeutic effect duing recently and worse durng long-term on the patients with esophageal cancer after operation or radiotherapy.