Medical management of esophageal obstruction and esophageal-pulmonary fistula.

In patients with advanced esophageal stenosis, the quality of life is significantly effected. Nutrition and hydration are impaired, meals cause agony not pleasure, oral secretions cannot be swallowed properly, and pulmonary aspiration is common. Restoration of an adequate lumen will relieve the symptoms of esophageal stenosis. The goal of initial therapy is to establish and maintain a patent esophagus at the lowest risk and cost to the patient. Malignant esophageal stenosis safely may be dilated by the peroral route even in patients undergoing radiotherapy or with esophagopulmonary fistula. In those patients who fail to respond to esophageal dilation, surgery, or irradiation therapy for malignant esophageal stenosis, a peroral esophageal prosthesis may be placed under local anesthesia after proper esophageal dilation. The prosthesis is prepared for each patient based on the length of the esophageal stenosis. The procedure requires less than one minute to perform. The patient has no foreign body sensation and is able to swallow a soft-to-regular diet for the remainder of his life. This method may also be used to occlude esophagopulmonary fistulae caused by malignancy. The quality and duration of life both are significantly improved by use of the peroral prosthesis in patients with malignant esophageal obstruction. Nutrition support by nasoenteric or jejunostomy tube should be used when needed to restore nitrogen balance and immune competence.