Dual-design expandable colorectal stent for malignant colorectal obstruction: Comparison of flared ends and bent ends

OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this study was to compare, focusing on colonic perforation and stent migration, the clinical safety and efficacy of dual-design expandable colorectal stents with flared ends with those of stents with bent ends in the treatment of patients with malignant colorectal obstruction. SUBJECTS AND METHODS. A total of 122 patients with malignant colorectal obstruction underwent implantation of dual-design stents with flared (n = 69) or bent (n = 53) ends. RESULTS. Stent placement was technically successful in 116 of 122 patients (95.1%), 65 of 69 patients (94.2%) with flared-end stents and 51 of 53 patients (96.2%) with bent-end stents (p > 0.05). Clinical success was achieved within 2 days in 61 of 65 patients (93.8%) with bent-end stents and in 46 of 51 patients (90.2%) with flared-end stents (p > 0.05). Complications included seven cases of colonic perforation (6%), seven cases of stent migration (6%), three cases of tumor overgrowth (2.6%), four cases of severe rectal pain (3.4%), and four cases of bleeding (3.4%). There were no significant differences between the rates of colonic perforation and stent migration in the two groups (6.2% vs 5.9%), and the overall complication rates were similar (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION. Dual-design expandable colorectal stents with flared ends and those with bent ends are equally safe and effective, having similar perforation and migration rates.