What we call stents are hollow, tubular formations, so to speak. Stents placed in heart vessels in cardiology are well known to everyone. However, stents placed in stenosis in the digestive system are not widely known. However, stents are used in cases of stenosis and blockages in the stomach outlet, small intestine and large intestine, especially esophageal cancer (most of which are due to tumors and cancers).
Stents are used endoscopy. and it is mounted by filming. The most common application is patients with esophageal cancer. When esophageal cancer causes obstruction, the patient cannot take food and liquids. Serious weight loss begins. This situation generally causes the patient's nutritional deficiencies as well as the collapse of the immune system and prevents him from receiving treatments such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy.
There are different types of stents: covered, semi-covered and uncoated, respectively. Uncovered stents are placed especially in advanced stage cancer patients and cannot be removed again. Covered stents are preferred in patients who will have a temporary stent placed.
Who can have a temporary stent placed?
Especially caustic substances (oil solvents, hypo, laundry Temporary stents can be applied for esophageal burns and related stenoses that occur after drinking water. In fact, dissolvable "biodegradable" stents, a new type of stent that has emerged in recent years, have been tested in these patients and good results have been obtained. Another group of patients is those with postoperative stenosis. Temporary stents can be applied, especially to areas of stenosis that occur at the seams after removal of the stomach or esophagus, if they do not respond to balloon expansion.
Bile duct stents
Bile duct stents Stents are divided into plastic and metal. Especially in some diseases, stenosis may occur in the bile ducts. To treat these stenoses, expansion can be performed with a balloon or a bougie. Or, in cases of long-lasting resistant stenosis, plastic stents or newly released removable metal stents can be applied. These treatments can be very successful, especially in cases of stenosis such as "primary sclerosing cholangitis", "after liver transplantation" or as a complication of gallbladder surgery.
Food. Expansion (dilatation) in esophageal stenosis
Stenosis may sometimes occur in the esophagus due to various reasons, and these patients experience difficulty in swallowing. Membrane-like formations in the upper part of the esophagus seen in women with iron deficiency (Plummer-Vinson syndrome) or stenosis at the lower end of the esophagus due to long-term reflux disease are among the most common. Although it is more common in childhood, caustic substance ingestion, which can also be seen in adults (suicidal or accidental), can cause severe stenosis. In this case, expansion is performed with a balloon or a bougie. But if there is no improvement despite repeated attempts, then a stent can be applied.
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