Management of cervical esophageal strictures with self-expanding metalic stents.

Esophageal strictures due to malignant diseases are treated with self-expanding metalicic stents. However, experience is limited with these metalic stents in the cervical esophagus. Due to technical difficulties and procedure-related complications, the cervical esophagus has been assigned as a risky area for stenting procedures. Another encountered problem is patient discomfort after the procedure. In this case report, we present three patients with cervical esophageal strictures who were successfully treated with self-expandable metalic stents. Two of these patients had inoperable esophageal carcinoma and the third had benign stenosis due to radiotherapy of larynx carcinoma. The two patients with malignant disease survived four and six months, respectively, after the procedure. The last patient with benign disease is still alive and has been without dysphagia symptom for six months.