Enteral stents

Obstruction of the digestive tract is a frequent cause of morbidity in patients with gastrointestinal malignancies. The role of palliative stenting in the management of these patients has expanded in recent years to include the esophagus, the gastroduodenal region, and the colon. Stent placement also serves as an adjunct to definitive surgical therapy for obstructing colonic lesions, as endoscopic decompression facilitates formal bowel cleansing and subsequent single-stage elective surgery. Stenting has also expanded into the realm of benign esophageal disease, with limited data demonstrating the use of an SEPS for benign strictures and anastomotic leaks. Endoscopic capabilities are likely to expand with the advent of innovative stenting devices and techniques.