Fluoroscopic Stent Placement as a Bridge to Surgery for Malignant Colorectal Obstruction: Short- and Long-Term Outcomes

PURPOSE: To assess the outcomes of single-stage surgery following fluoroscopic stent placement for malignant colorectal obstruction. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective study included 46 patients (28 male and 18 female; mean age, 67.2 years) who had undergone fluoroscopic stent placement followed by laparoscopic resection (n = 31) or open surgery (n = 15) for malignant colorectal obstruction. The surgical outcomes were analyzed and compared. After a mean follow-up of 38.9 months, the recurrence-free and overall survival were estimated, and prognostic factors were evaluated. RESULTS: The mean interval between stent placement and surgery was 10.2 days. Primary anastomosis was possible in all patients. The mean postoperative length of hospitalization was 11.0 days. Bowel perforation was detected in six patients (13.0%). During the follow-up, ten patients (21.7%) developed recurrence; these included five of the six patients with bowel perforation. Bowel perforation had a significant effect on recurrence-free survival (p = 0.010). CONCLUSION: Single-stage surgery following fluoroscopic stent placement may be effective for treating malignant colorectal obstruction. Stent-related bowel perforation is a significant predictive factor for tumor recurrence.