RESUMEN

1. PURPOSE: To show the experience in rigid prosthesis used as a palliative treatment for malignant++ esophageal stenosis. 2. MATERIAL AND METHOD: From November 1995 to January 1997, 14 patients between 51 and 83 years old, were referred for rigid prosthesis in a prospective way (71.5 = 2.3); 11 of them were men and 3 women. The criteria for including them was: 11 (eleven) patients suffering from esophagus cancer stage IV; 2 (two) patients suffering from stomach cancer with esophageal invasion stage IV and 1 (one) patient with mediastinum metastasis of breast cancer. Wilson-Cook rigid prosthesis was used for all these cases. The insertion technique was [quot ]the dilator method[quot ]. 3. RESULTS: Successful method: 14 (100

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). Mortality: Not recorded. Disorders: In 6 (six) patients (42.8

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); 3 (three) (21.4

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) at an early stage: migrations and 3 (21.4

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) at a later stage: 2 (two) tamponade because of food and 1 (one) magration. Time in hospital or clinic: 24 hours (100

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). Improvement on Dysphagia: 14 (100

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). Following: 13 (92.8

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). Survivance: 18-266 days (92 = 83.6). 4. CONCLUSIONS: 1. High percentage of success in prosthesis setting. 2. No mortality. 3. Low percentage of complications and if so, of minor importance. 4. Minimal time in hospital or clinic. 5. Quick and effective dysphagia improvement. 6. Appropriate follow up. 7. Survival similar to other palliative methods, less morbimortality and cost and better life conditions.