Uncovered self-expandable stent likely preferable for malignant gastric outlet obstruction

Reuters Health - 07/12/2020 - Covered and uncovered self-expandable metal stents (SEMS) for malignant gastric outlet obstruction show only minor differences, suggests a randomized trial in Japan. U.S. experts agree, noting that covered stents are not approved for this indication in the US. As reported in Gut, Dr. Masayuki Kitano of Wakayama Medical University in Japan and colleagues compared the two types of devices in 366 patients with malignant gastric outlet obstruction. The primary disease in both groups was pancreatic cancer (about half of patients), followed by gastric cancer in about 32%, and gallbladder in about 6%. About 35% of patients in each group had an intrinsic tumor. Overall survival was poor, with no between-group difference: the probability at three months was 49.7% for covered versus 48.4% for uncovered stents. Within that short-survival setting, the proportion of patients with stent dysfunction was significantly higher for un...

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Posted on 7 December, 20208 December, 2020