Published online Jan 16, 2019. doi: 10.4253/wjge.v11.i1.61
Peer-review started: October 30, 2018
First decision: November 29, 2018
Revised: December 5, 2018
Accepted: December 13, 2018
Article in press: December 13, 2018
Published online: January 16, 2019
Processing time: 80 Days and 19 Hours
Self-expandable metal stents (SEMSs) are frequently used in the setting of palliation for occluding, inoperable colorectal cancer (CRC). Among possible complications of SEMS positioning, re-obstruction is the most frequent. Its management is controversial, potentially involving secondary stent-in-stent placement, which has been poorly investigated. Moreover, the issue of secondary stent-in-stent re-obstruction and of more-than-two colonic stenting has never been assessed. We describe a case of tertiary SEMS-in-SEMS placement, and also discuss our practice based on available literature.
A 66-year-old male with occluding and metastatic CRC was initially treated by positioning of a SEMS, which had to be revised 6 mo later when a symptomatic intra-stent tumor ingrowth was treated by a SEMS-in-SEMS. We hereby describe an additional episode of intestinal occlusion due to recurrence of intra-stent tumor ingrowth. This patient, despite several negative prognostic factors (splenic flexure location of the tumor, carcinomatosis with ascites, subsequent chemotherapy that included bevacizumab and two previously positioned stents (1 SEMS and 1 SEMS-in-SEMS)) underwent successful management through the placement of a tertiary SEMS-in-SEMS, with immediate clinical benefit and no procedure-related adverse events after 150 d of post-procedural follow-up. This endoscopic management has permitted 27 mo of partial control of a metastatic disease without the need for chemotherapy discontinuation and, ultimately, a good quality of life until death.
Tertiary SEMS-in-SEMS is technically feasible, and appears to be a safe and effective option in the case of recurrent SEMS obstruction.
Core tip: Endoscopic positioning of self-expandable metal stents (SEMSs) has an established role in the palliation of obstructing metastatic colorectal cancers (CRCs). More controversial is the management of re-obstruction due to intrastent tumor ingrowth. In our case, a patient with obstructing, metastatic, carcinomatous CRC, primary palliated with SEMS placement, experienced two different episodes of intrastent tumor in-growth. This occurred along with a long-lasting history of partial efficacy of chemotherapy, including bevacizumab. Both these episodes were successfully treated through subsequent stent-in-stent placement, with immediate symptom relief, no procedure-related complications (notwithstanding different negative prognostic factors), no need for chemotherapy discontinuation and, ultimately, a good quality of life.