Abstract
Since carcinoma of the esophagus is usually disseminated by the time when the diagnosis is made, treatment is often palliative. It is similar in cases of carcinoma of the cardia. The Microwave Tissue Coagulator (M. T. C) had been developed by K. Tabuse and Co-workers. Expecting effects of tissue coagulation and destruction, we applied Endoscopic Microwave Coagulation Therapy (E. M. C. T) for 8 cases of esophageal malignant stricture. Four cases were carcinoma of the esophagus and the others were carcinoma of the cardia. All of them were judged inoperable because of distant metastasis or other reasons. As a result, significant symptomatic, endoscopic and radiographic improvements were noted in 7 cases (88%). Dysphagia was improved in 7 cases, and the endoscope passed through the stricture in 4 cases where it could not before E. M. C. T. We used M. T. C with higher power, mainly 70-100 W, than that in fundamental experiments already reported, and we could obtain more effective coagulation without any major trouble. A newly introduced dissociation apparatus was effective for preventing coagulated tissues from sticking to the monopolar electrode. One of the characteristics of M. T. C different from an electro- or laser coagulator is that the monopolar electrode is punctured into the tissue, and the tissue can be coagulated accurately and safely. We concluded that E. M. C. T for malignant stricture of the esophagus may provide a new promising palliative treatment.
