[Endotube as a palliative measure in stenosing cancer of the esophagus and cardia].

93 patients with advanced carcinoma of the esophagus or cardia were treated by positioning an endoprothesis under combined endoscopic and radiological control. Before this procedure the esophagus had been dilated - in 31 cases with our new multistage bougie. 14% of patients died in the hospital, 7,5% of these as a consequence of the procedure described. If no complications occur, the patients can be discharged from the hospital 24 hours later. Swallowing is improved definitely, mean survival time of our group was 10.9 weeks. Complications occurring later are mostly due to technical problems of the endoprothesis. Endoscopic positioning of the endoprothesis is a satisfactory palliative procedure. Positioning the endoprothesis by surgery to day is outdated.