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Copyright ©2007 Baishideng Publishing Group Co., Limited. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Aug 7, 2007; 13(29): 3977-3980
Published online Aug 7, 2007. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v13.i29.3977
Usefulness of biodegradable stents constructed of poly-l-lactic acid monofilaments in patients with benign esophageal stenosis
Yasuharu Saito, Toyohiko Tanaka, Akira Andoh, Hideki Minematsu, Kazunori Hata, Tomoyuki Tsujikawa, Norihisa Nitta, Kiyoshi Murata, Yoshihide Fujiyama
Yasuharu Saito, Department of Endoscopic Medicine, Shiga University of Medical Science, Seta Tukinowa, Otsu 520-2192, Japan
Toyohiko Tanaka, Norihisa Nitta, Kiyoshi Murata, Department of Radiology, Shiga University of Medical Science, Seta Tukinowa, Otsu 520-2192, Japan
Akira Andoh, Hideki Minematsu, Kazunori Hata, Tomoyuki Tsujikawa, Yoshihide Fujiyama, Department of Internal Medicine, Shiga University of Medical Science, Seta Tukinowa, Otsu 520-2192, Japan
Author contributions: All authors contributed equally to the work.
Correspondence to: Yasuharu Saito, MD, Division of Endoscopic Medicine, Shiga University of Medical Science, Seta Tukinowa, Otsu 520-2192, Japan. ysaito@belle.shiga-med.ac.jp
Telephone: +81-775-482217 Fax: +81-775-482219
Received: March 29, 2007
Revised: April 5, 2007
Accepted: April 16, 2007
Published online: August 7, 2007
Abstract

AIM: To report 13 patients with benign esophageal stenosis treated with the biodegradable stent.

METHODS: We developed a Ultraflex-type stent by knitting poly-l-lactic acid monofilaments.

RESULTS: Two cases were esophageal stenosis caused by drinking of caustic liquid, 4 cases were due to surgical resection of esophageal cancers, and 7 cases were patients with esophageal cancer who received the preventive placement of biodegradable stents for post-endoscopic mucosal dissection (ESD) stenosis. The preventive placement was performed within 2 to 3 d after ESD. In 10 of the 13 cases, spontaneous migration of the stents occurred between 10 to 21 d after placement. In these cases, the migrated stents were excreted with the feces, and no obstructive complications were experienced. In 3 cases, the stents remained at the proper location on d 21 after placement. No symptoms of re-stenosis were observed within the follow-up period of 7 mo to 2 years. Further treatment with balloon dilatation or replacement of the biodegradable stent was not required.

CONCLUSION: Biodegradable stents were useful for the treatment of benign esophageal stenosis, particularly for the prevention of post-ESD stenosis.

Keywords: Stents; Esophageal cancer; Endoscopic submucosal dissection