Metallic endoprostheses in oesophageal carcinoma

Oesophageal carcinoma is a relatively common disease with approximately 3500 new cases presenting in the United Kingdom every year. In more than 50% of patients curative resection is inappropriate and only palliative therapy is possible [1]. The aim of palliative treatment is to improve the patient's quality of life, making oral feeding possible with speed and safety, and without the need for long or repeated hospital admissions [2, 3]. Traditional methods have had limited success in achieving this aim and have included surgery [4], radiotherapy [5–7] and plastic endoprostheses [8–10].