A Benign Colorectal Stricture: Treatment with a Retrievable Expandable Nitinol Stent

Excerpt

In recent years, fluoroscopically guided placement of metallic stents has been used with favorable results in patients with colorectal strictures for the palliative treatment of inoperable colorectal cancer [1 2]. In patients with large bowel obstruction by benign stricture, or resectable colonic malignancy, the temporary placement of stent allowed bowel preparation and 1-stage resection [3]. However, intestinal stenting of benign disease is a potentially controversial area because the stent may not be easily removed after its placement and there are few reports in the literature on the placement of stents in patients with benign colorectal strictures [4]. We present our experience using a polyurethane-covered retrievable nitinol rectal stent in a patient with a benign stricture of the rectal anastomosis that developed after surgery. …