About 20% of colorectal cancers are complicated by intestinal obstruction. Self-expanding metallic stents (SEMS) permit desobstruction in over 90% of cases. In palliative setting, employing SEMS reduces hospitalisation time and permanent stoma rate with identical mortality rates compared to surgery. When using SEMS as bridge to surgery, higher primary and lower overall stoma rates are obtained with no significant mortality reduction by now. Of concern, procedure-related bowel perforation is frequent, especially among endoscopists lacking sufficient experience in colonic stenting.
Colonic Diseases Colorectal Neoplasms