An Unusual Complication of a Colonic Wallstent

Abstract

We report a case of delayed perforation of normal colonic wall by the wire tips of an enteral Wallstent, which had successfully been used to treat a malignant obstruction of the sigmoid colon. Perforation occurred 5 days following insertion and despite surgery, resulted in fatality. Though perforation at the tumor site is a recognized complication during or following colonic stent placement, it is rare for the ends of the stent to perforate through nondiseased bowel wall. The site of the obstructing lesion and thus the position of the stent on a bend in the colon may be a contributory factor.

Newly Developed Biodegradable Stents for Benign Gastrointestinal Tract Stenoses: A Preliminary Clinical Trial

“…Metallic stents are less invasive and impressive, but various complications, such as perforation, bleeding, migration, tumor ingrowth and foreign body reactions, have been reported [3,4,5]. In cases with serious complications, surgical removal of the metallic stent is required.…”

“…Many types of metallic stents have been developed and clinically applied for the malignant stenosis of the gastrointestinal tract [1, 2]. The aforementioned stents are effective, but complications are sometimes encountered [3,4,5]. Most complications occur shortly after stent placement, and long-term complications are not usually a subject of discussion due to the use of palliative treatments for advanced malignancies.…”