Technical and clinical success rates of WallFlex duodenal stents in unresectable malignant gastric outlet obstruction. A retrospective observational study from a tertiary cancer hospital in India

INTRODUCTION: Gastric outlet obstruction (GOO) is one of the common symptoms/complications of many cancers. Endoscopic placement of a self-expandable metal stent has emerged as one of the best alternative treatment options for surgical gastrojejunostomy. AIM: We took up this study to find the technical and clinical success, and complication rates of duodenal stenting in such patients presented at India’s largest tertiary care cancer hospital. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This retrospective observational study included all patients who underwent endoscopic placement of an enteral WallFlex stent for malignant GOO between April 2013 and February 2019 at Tata Memorial Cancer Hospital, Mumbai, India. For estimation and improvement of symptoms, a GOO scoring system (GOOS) was used. The endpoints were defined as technical success, improvement of the GOO scoring system, and safety. RESULTS: Technical and clinical success rates were 98.13% (210/214) and 91.42% (192/210), respectively. Complications included bleeding in 12 (5.60%), pancreatitis in 4 (1.86%), and sedation-related complications in 25 (11.68%) of the patients. In the mean follow-up period of 120 days (range: 90 to 270 days), recurrence of obstructive symptoms was observed in 66 (31.42%) of the patients. Tumour ingrowth in 59.09% (39/66), food impaction in 31.81% (21/66), and migration of the stent in 15.15% (10/66) of patients were reasons for recurrence. The median time between clinical success and recurrence of obstructive symptoms was 148 days (95% confidence interval (CI): 0–328). CONCLUSIONS: Placement of an enteral WallFlex stent in patients with malignant GOO is a practical, easy, and safe alternative to surgical gastrojejunostomy in malignant GOO.