Enteral stents for malignant gastric outlet obstruction

Abstract

Malignant gastric outlet obstruction (GOO) is a commonly encountered entity, defined as the inability of the stomach to empty because of mechanical obstruction at the level of either the stomach or the proximal small bowel. In this article, current literature on GOO is reviewed with a focus on enteral stents to include symptoms and diagnosis, stent and nonstent treatment, types of enteral stents, indications and contraindications to stent placement, and technical and clinical success rates. In comparison with gastrojejunostomy, enteral stent placement is better suited for patients with a shorter life expectancy and/or those who are poor surgical candidates.