Clinical outcomes of self-expandable metal stents in palliation of malignant anastomotic strictures caused by recurrent gastric cancer

Table 1 Patients’ characteristics

Age ± SD (yr)	63.1 ± 10.3
Male:Female	15:5
Prior surgery (n)
Total gastrectomy with esophagojejunostomy (10)	Covered stent (6)
	Uncovered stent (4)
Subtotal gastrectomy with Billroth-I reconstruction (2)	Covered stent (1)
	Uncovered stent (1)
Subtotal gastrectomy with Billroth-II reconstruction (8)	Covered stent (6)
	Uncovered stent (2)
Chemotherapy after stent insertion (number of patients)	10
Follow-up loss (n, %)	3 (15%)
30-d mortality	3/17 (18%)
Survival [median (range)]	83 (12-439) d
Stent patency duration [median (range)]	56 (5-439) d

Table 2 Improvement in the oral intake status compared to before stent insertion (n = 20)

Oral intake status (by GOOSS)	Number of cases
	Pre-stenting	Post-stenting
No oral intake (0)	15	3
Liquids only (1)	3	6
Soft solids (2)	2	8
Low-residual or full diet (3)	0	3
Mean scoreb	0.35 ± 0.61	1.55 ± 0.94

^bP < 0.01 by Wilcoxon signed rank test; GOOSS: Gastric Outlet Obstruction Scoring System.

Table 3 Complications associated with stent placement

Patient	Complication	Type of operation	Type of stent	Days after stenting	Treatment
1	Expansion failure	Billroth-I subtotal gastrectomy	Uncovered	5	Refusal of treatment
2	Tumor overgrowth	Total gastrectomy	Covered	7	Second stent
3	Tumor overgrowth	Total gastrectomy	Uncovered	28	TPN
4	Tumor ingrowth	Billroth-II subtotal gastrectomy	Uncovered	15	Second stent
5	Stent migration (complete)	Billroth-II subtotal gastrectomy	Covered	64	Not needed
6	Stent migration (partial)	Billroth-II subtotal gastrectomy	Covered	20	Reposition
7	Stent migration (partial)	Billroth-II subtotal gastrectomy	Covered	2	Second stent

TPN: Total parenteral nutrition.