Percutaneous Image-Guided Transesophageal Long Intestinal Tube Placement for Palliative Decompression in Advanced Cancer Patients with Unresectable Malignant Small Bowel Obstruction

To assess the safety and efficacy of long intestinal tube placement following percutaneous image-guided esophagostomy for palliative decompression of incurable malignant small bowel obstruction.

Between January 2013 and June 2022, a single-institution retrospective study was conducted to examine patients undergoing percutaneous transesophageal intestinal intubation for an occluded intestinal segment. Patients’ baseline characteristics, procedural details, and clinical courses were reviewed. Severe complications were defined as those with ≥ 4 grade according to the CIRSE classification.

This study included 73 patients (mean age, 57.7 years) who underwent 75 procedures. All bowel obstructions were caused by peritoneal carcinomatosis or similar disease, which precluded transgastric access in almost 50% of the patients due to massive cancerous ascites (n = 28), diffuse gastric involvement (n = 5), or omental dissemination in front of the stomach (n = 3). Technical success (appropriate tube positioning) was achieved in 98.7% (74/75) of procedures. The cumulative 1-month overall survival and sustained clinical success (adequate bowel decompression) rates were estimated at 86.8% and 88%, respectively, using Kaplan–Meier analysis. At the median survival of 70 days, the disease progression required other gastrointestinal interventions, including additional tube insertion, repositioning, or venting enterostomy in 16 patients (21.9%). The severe complication rate was 4% (3/75); one patient aspirated to death due to tube clogging and two encountered fatal perforation of isolated intestinal loops developing far beyond the tip of the indwelling tube.

Percutaneous image-guided transesophageal intestinal intubation achieves feasible bowel decompression as palliative care in advanced cancer patients.

Level 4, Case Series.