Abstract
Enteral stenting is widely performed in advanced cancer patients with malignant enteral obstruction. Four gastroduodenal stents and two colonic stents are now commercially available in Japan. The mechanical properties (axial force and radial force) of these metallic stents differ based on the structure of each stent. The thickness and stitch of the wire affect the mechanical properties. Axial force is one of the major mechanical properties of metallic stents. Axial force is defined as the force with which the stent tends to become straight when it bends. We need to pay attention to the axial force of the metallic stent when the enteral stent is deployed at the bending site of the gastrointestinal tract. The structure of the metallic stent also influences the fashion of stent deployment. The stent shortening rate is quite different among metallic stents. Moreover, the visibility under fluoroscopic guidance also differs among the various metallic stents. These factors strongly influence the difficulty of enteral stenting. Therefore, we need to understand the features of each enteral stent and choose the appropriate stent based on the situation of malignant enteral obstruction to perform the procedure more safely.
